Based on the impulse purchase decision-making process, the stimulus-organism-response framework, and technology acceptance model, this study investigated the role of cognitive and affective responses ...in the relationship between internal and external stimuli and social-media-based impulse buying behavior. We conducted an online survey and applied partial least squares structural equation modeling for data analysis and found that navigability, price attribute, trust propensity, and self-confidence are direct predictors of online impulse buying. Variety of selection and quality of information had indirect effects on the same through utilitarian browsing, while quality of information, navigability, and price attribute affected it through hedonic browsing. Trust propensity and self-confidence moderated the relation between utilitarian browsing and online impulse buying, while self-confidence moderated the hedonic browsing effect. Furthermore, utilitarian browsing affected hedonic browsing and online impulse buying. Thus, online merchants should control both external and internal stimuli to boost impulse buying through social media platforms.
Limited attention has been given to the presence of MPs in the atmospheric environment, particularly in indoor environments where people spend about 90% of their time. This study quantitatively ...assesses the prevalence, source and type of MPs in Australian homes with the goal of evaluating human health exposure potential. Thirty-two airborne indoor deposited dust samples were collected in glass Petri dishes from Sydney (Australia) homes, over a one-month period in 2019. Participants completed a questionnaire on their household characteristics. Samples were analysed using a stereomicroscope, a fluorescent microscope and micro-Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for their colour, size, shape and composition. Inhalation and ingestion rates were modelled using US EPA exposure factors. Microplastic fibre deposition rates ranged from 22 to 6169 fibres/m2/day. Deposited dust comprised 99% fibres. The highest proportion of fibres (19%) were 200–400 μm in length. The majority were natural (42%); 18% were transformed natural-based fibres; and 39% were petrochemical based. A significant difference was observed between the deposition rate and the main floor covering (p-value <0.05). Polyethylene, polyester, polyamide, polyacrylic, and polystyrene fibres were found in higher abundance in homes with carpet as the main floor covering. Where carpet was absent, polyvinyl fibres were the most dominant petrochemical fibre type, indicating the role of flooring materials (e.g. wood varnishes) in determining MP composition. Vacuum cleaner use was significantly related to MP deposition rates (p-value <0.05). MP ingestion rates peaked at 6.1 mg/kg-Bw/year for ages 1–6, falling to a minimum of 0.5 mg/kg-Bw/year in >20 years age group. Mean inhaled MP weight and count was determined to be 0.2±0.07 mg/kg-Bw/year and 12891±4472 fibres/year. Greatest inhalation intake rates were for the <0.5-yr age group, at 0.31 mg/kg-Bw/year. The study data reveal that MPs are prevalent in Australian homes and that the greatest risk of exposure resides with young children. Notwithstanding the limited number of global studies and the different methods used to measure MPs, this study indicates Australian deposition and inhalation rates are at the lower end of the exposure spectrum.
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•Mean annual inhaled MPs were 12,891 ±4472 fibres/year.•Petrochemical-based fibres comprised 39% of deposited particles of indoor dust.•Carpeted floors were associated with significantly more dust than hard floors.•Frequency of vacuum cleaner significantly correlated to deposition rate of MPs.•Ingestion and inhalation rates of MP greatest in younger children.
Soils play a vital role in the quality of the urban environment and the health of its residents. City soils and street dusts accumulate various contaminants and particularly potentially toxic ...elements (PTEs) from a variety of human activities. This study investigates the current condition of elemental concentration in the urban soils of Hamedan, the largest and the fastest-growing city in western Iran. Thirty-four composite soil samples were collected from 0 to 10 cm topsoil of various land uses in Hamedan city and were analyzed for total concentration of 63 elements by ICP-MS. The possible sources of elemental loadings were verified using multivariate statistical methods (principal component analysis and cluster analysis) and geochemical indices. The spatial variability of the main PTEs was mapped using geographic information system (GIS) technique. The results revealed a concentration for As, Co, Cr, Mn, Mo, Ni, and V in the soil samples comparable to the background values as well as a range of associations among these elements in a single component suggesting geogenic sources related to geological and pedogenic processes, while the soils mostly presented a moderate to considerable enrichment/contamination of Cd, Zn, Pb, and Sb and moderate enrichment/contamination of Cu, Zn, and Mo. It was found that anthropogenic factors, vehicular traffic in particular, control the concentration of a spectrum of elements that are typical of human activities, i.e., Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sb, and Zn. Lead and Sb were both the most enriched elements in soils with no correlation with land use highlighting general urban emissions over time and the impact of transport networks directly on soil quality. The highest concentrations of As were recorded in the southern part of the city reflecting the influence of metamorphic rocks. The effect of the geological substrate on the Co and Ni contents was confirmed by their maximum concentrations in the city’s marginal areas. However, high spatial variability of urban elements’ contents displayed the contribution of various human activities. In particular, the increased concentration of Cd, Sb, and Pb was found to be consistent with the areas where vehicular traffic is heaviest.
This study examines residential indoor dust from 224 homes in Sydney, Australia for trace element concentrations measured using portable X-ray Fluorescence (pXRF) and their potential risk of harm. ...Samples were collected as part of a citizen science program involving public participation via collection and submission of vacuum dust samples for analysis of their As, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn concentrations. The upper 95% confidence level of the mean values for 224 samples (sieved to <250 μm) were 20.2 mg/kg As, 99.8 mg/kg Cr, 298 mg/kg Cu, 247 mg/kg Mn, 56.7 mg/kg Ni, 364 mg/kg Pb and 2437 mg/kg Zn. The spatial patterns and variations of the metals indicate high homogeneity across Sydney, but with noticeably higher Pb values in the older areas of the city. Potential hazard levels were assessed using United States Environmental Protection Agency's (US EPA) carcinogenic, non-carcinogenic and Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic (IEUBK) model human health risk assessment tools for children and adults. US EPA hazard indexes (HI) for Cr and Pb were higher than the safe level of 1.0 for children. HI > 1 suggests potential non-carcinogenic health effects. Carcinogenic risks were estimated for As, Cr and Pb whose carcinogenic slope factors (CSF) were available. Only the risk factor for Cr exceeded the US EPA's carcinogenic threshold (1 × 10−4) for children. Children aged 1–2 years had the highest predicted mean child blood lead (PbB) of 4.6 μg/dL, with 19.2% potentially having PbB exceeding 5 μg/dL and 5.80% exceeding 10 μg/dL. The Cr and Pb levels measured in indoor dust therefore pose potentially significant adverse health risks to children.
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•Vacuum dust trace metal levels from 224 homes in Sydney, Australia were analysed.•Residential soil levels explain 70% and 35% of indoor dust Mn and Pb levels.•Hazard indexes for Cr and Pb were higher than safe level of 1.0 for some children.•Carcinogenic risk of Cr for some children exceed US EPA's threshold of 1 × 10−4.•Predicted geometric mean PbB for children aged 1–2 years was 3.96 μg/dL.
Background
Breast cancer screening can reduce mortality and improve the quality of life in affected women. The present study aimed to determine the predictive factors of breast cancer screening in ...Iranian women based on the health belief model (HBM).
Methods
This review was conducted by searching electronic databases of Google Scholar; electronic databases, including Scopus, PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, ProQuest, Embase, and Google scholar Magiran; and SID with the English keywords of “breast cancer,” “mammography,” “health belief model,” and “breast self-exam” and the equivalent Persian keywords. The results were evaluated based on the health belief model (HBM) constructs. Articles were evaluated for quality and the findings were extracted and reviewed.
Results
A total of 8 relevant articles were selected for review. Women’s awareness of breast cancer screening methods was moderate in two studies and poor in two other studies. Among the constructs of HBM, knowledge, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, and action plan were poor in the majority of the studies, while perceived barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy were mainly good.
Conclusion
Considering the observed weakness of many HBM constructs, it is recommended that special attention be given to all HBM constructs in implementing HBM-based education programs.
The current study sought to fill a gap in the literature by examining how advertising's affective and cognitive values influence compulsive purchasing on Instagram. To do so, we considered the roles ...of hedonic and utilitarian browsing and customer anxiety. To achieve the stated purpose of this study, an applied research method was utilized, and the data were collected through an online survey. To analyze the data, the structural equation modeling using partial least squares was applied. The results showed that advertising's affective and cognitive values have an effect on hedonic and utilitarian browsing and, consequently, the urge to buy impulsively and compulsively. The findings also revealed that the customer anxiety was an influential variable for compulsive buying and an impressible variable for the urge to buy impulsively. This study may benefit entrepreneurs in the realm of transitional economies to attract customers by controlling environmental stimuli that influence customers' Instagram searches and, ultimately, their buying behavior.
Uterine afterpains are among the most prevalent complaints after natural vaginal delivery. Non-pharmacological treatment modalities to relieve afterpains are an important care priority. This study ...was conducted to investigate the effect of foot reflexology in the fourth stage of labor on afterpains in multiparous women.
This single-blind, randomized, clinical trial recruited 80 eligible pregnant women presenting to Allameh Bohlool Hospital in Gonabad and 17-Shahrivar Hospital in Mashhad, Iran, in 2019. In the first and second hours postpartum, the reflexology group received 10 min of general massage and specific reflexology massage on each foot on the uterine, pituitary, and solar plexus points. The control group received 10 min of general massage, and then rotational massage on a neutral point on the lateral side of the heel. The pain was measured every hour up to 4 h postpartum using a visual analogue scale. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS-16 software at a significance level of P < 0.05.
The median of the afterpain score in the first hour (P = 0.05) and second hour (P = 0.274) postpartum did not differ significantly between the two groups, but this score was lower in the reflexology group at the third hour (P < 0.001) and fourth hour (P < 0.001) postpartum. The mean total afterpain score in the 4 h postpartum was significantly lower in the reflexology group (P < 0.001).
The results revealed that foot reflexology in the fourth stage of labor has positive effects on relief from uterine afterpain. Reflexology is therefore recommended as a measure to reduce postpartum uterine afterpains.
The quality of life in menopausal women is considered to be an important health issue in different societies and one of the main objectives of health care in this period. This study aimed to ...investigate the effects of yoga on improving the quality of life in menopausal women.
English databases of Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library were searched to access related articles using keywords of menopause, quality of life, and yoga. Furthermore, Persian equivalents of the same keywords were searched in databases of Google Scholar, SID, and Magiran, in addition to a combination of the keywords. The search interval was from the inspection to January 2020. The quality of the included studied was assessed based on CONSORT 2017 checklist.
Out of 120 articles found in the databases, six articles entered the study based on the inclusion criteria and were investigated for intervention methods and consequences. The results indicated the positive impact of yoga on the quality of life in menopausal women.
Considering the effects of yoga on the symptoms and quality of life in menopausal women, it is suggested that this low-cost method be used to improve their quality of life and health.
Cesarean sections are one of the common surgical procedures around the world. Management of cesarean section side effects, including pain, hematoma, delayed wound healing, is of particular importance ...in maintaining maternal health and ability to care for the baby. The tendency to use complementary medicine strategies is on the rise because of the easy treatment with low side effects. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the efficacy and safety of clinical trials performed in Iran and worldwide on the effect of complementary medicine on pain relief and wound healing after cesarean section.
PRISMA checklist was followed to prepare the report of this systematic review. The search process was carried out on databases on databases of Magiran, SID, Iran Medex, Scopus, Pub Med, Science direct, Medline and Cochrane library using keywords of cesarean, pain, wound healing, Herbal medicine, acupressure, massage, complementary medicine and their Persian equivalent and all possible combinations, from inception until February 2020. We used the Jadad scale to assess the quality of the searched articles. According to the Jadad scale, the articles with a score of at least 3 were included in the study.
Finally, 28 clinical trials (with a sample size of 3,245) scored at least 3 on the Jadad scale were included into the analysis. This article reviewed 13 articles on medicinal herbs, 4 articles on massage, 1 article on reflexology, 2 articles on acupressure.
According to the present review, the use of medicinal herbs was the most common method of complementary medicine in pain relief and wound healing after cesarean section.