Payavard Salamat

Scientific Authority and Medical Research Utilization in Various Scenarios of Access to Information in Iran

Mostafa Hossini Golkar

Background and Aim: One of the pillars of scientific authority is the creation of a process for accessing information, referencing, and applying knowledge. The presence of strong information centers is considered a requirement for supporting this authority. Given the uncertainties of the future, there are various scenarios for accessing information in Iran, each of which requires appropriate measures for the effective application of knowledge. This research aims to understand the needs and requirements of the country’s information sector to achieve scientific authority.
Materials and Methods: Using futures studies methodologies and a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, the indicators of information centers were first identified. Then, based on expert opinions, measures to achieve scientific authority were determined. The expert panel was purposefully selected from specialists with at least 10 years of experience in relevant fields. Validation of the scenarios and consensus-building were accomplished using an expert panel and focus group.
Results: A conceptual model was identified, comprising five components and 26 factors, which were prioritized based on 10 key drivers. Two critical uncertainties-access and information management, as well as the completion of the information cycle, led to the development of three scenarios: traditional, monopolistic, and democratic. Furthermore, indicators related to scientific authority were estimated based on expert opinions for a ten-year horizon within each scenario. The findings indicated that there was less differentiation among scenarios in the indicators of knowledge exchange and transfer, whereas greater differentiation was observed in the indicators of translation, outsourcing, and knowledge utilization. This highlights the necessity of directing effectiveness toward utility. These changes in the layers of processes and value creation in scientific authority could be traced.
Conclusion: According to the experts’ assessment of the indicators, in the knowledge exploitation stage of the traditional and exclusive scenarios, access to information in the components of knowledge exchange and transfer will not be adequately established. Therefore, to implement knowledge application, the presence of processes for support, promote, and facilitate scientific interaction will play a significant role in establishing scientific authority. Although the dominance of the view of knowledge as power and information as a source of power is expected to continue in the medium term, achieving scientific authority requires a transition to perspectives that offer greater support and provide a better platform for the formation of the information cycle and its broader distribution.

Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Systemic Thinking in Nurse Managers: A Correlational Study

Shahnaz Pouladi

Background and Aim: Nurse managers leverage managerial intelligence to mitigate decision-making challenges and systemic issues. Emotional intelligence, a crucial aspect of managerial intelligence, is vital for job performance and leadership. This skill enables managers to comprehend their emotions and those of others and establish more effective communication. Also, managers in complex environments, such as hospitals, need systemic thinking. Systemic thinking enables managers to solve problems comprehensively, enhancing decision-making accuracy and efficiency. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between emotional intelligence and systemic thinking in nurse managers of affiliated hospitals of Bushehr University of Medical Sciences.
Materials and Methods: The present study is a descriptive-analytical correlational study. One hundred and forty-five nurse managers working in Bushehr University of Medical Sciences-affiliated hospitals were included in the study based on the inclusion criteria. The sampling was done as a full census. Data were collected using the demographic information form, Bradbury and Graves’ emotional intelligence questionnaire, and Amini et al.’s systemic thinking questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, descriptive statistics (frequency, mean, and standard deviation), and analytical statistics (Pearson correlation coefficient). A significance level of less than 0.05 was considered in all cases.
Results: This study involved 145 nurse managers, 88.3% female, 84.8% married, and 87.6% holding a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). The mean age and average tenure in managerial positions were 41.93±6.37 and 8.68±6.52 years, respectively. The mean score for emotional intelligence (EI) among nurse managers was 130.81±11.84 (range: 28-168), while the mean score for systems thinking (ST) was 43.30±5.90 (range: 8-56). A positive correlation was found between emotional intelligence and systems thinking (r=0.365, P<0.001); however, EI was not a significant predictor of ST (β=0.131, P=0.146).
Conclusion: Considering the positive correlation between emotional intelligence and systemic thinking as essential management competencies, it is suggested that training these skills should be considered in continuing education programs for nurses and nurse managers. This will help managers strengthen their emotional intelligence and apply systemic strategies in nursing management.

Requirement Analysis and Design of an Alumni Relationship Management Solution for Medical Universities

Mohammadhiwa Abdekhoda

Background and Aim: Establishing dynamic relationships between graduates and current students should be a high priority for universities striving to progress in the rapidly changing and competitive market of third-generation universities. Due to the lack of effective communication with graduates in Iranian universities and the role of these systems in the technology ecosystem, the aim of this study is to analyze the needs of a graduate alumni management system and propose a conceptual model.
Materials and Methods: The research consisted of two main phases: needs analysis and process and software design. During the requirements engineering, as described in systems analysis and design references, a quick review was first conducted in selected databases regarding the capabilities and use cases of existing studies and the proposed features of innovative graduate alumni management systems. The extracted items from the rapid review were presented in a checklist. Then, functional requirements were extracted through interviews with 10 experts from the university’s educational deputy and faculty, using a two-round Delphi method. In the next stage, work processes were observed, and process owners were interviewed. UML diagrams were used to achieve a suitable description of a good system.
Results: In this study, the requirements were categorized into two main groups, comprising 37 functional and non-functional needs. The functional category included three significant subcategories: basic needs, social needs, and innovation needs. Basic needs encompassed the essentials required for the system’s fundamental operation. Social needs referred to the system’s ability to facilitate user interactions, while innovation needs involved new and creative features that could be added to the system. A software engineering specialist analyzed these functional needs and translated them into system use cases to be effectively incorporated into the system’s development.
Conclusion: The proposed conceptual model of the graduate alumni management system was analyzed and modeled based on user-centered requirements engineering. The proposed model provides a practical document for the effective implementation of a communication mechanism and active interaction between graduates, as well as current students, faculty members, and other staff in an innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Public Awareness and Practice regarding Social Emergency in Kerman, Iran: An Online Questionnaire-Based Survey

Reyhane Saljooghinejad

Background and Aim: Social emergency is intervention programs aimed at preventing social problems by managing social crises. Public awareness of this program plays a crucial role in mitigating such problems. This study aimed to assess the level of public awareness and practice regarding social emergency services.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2023 using an online questionnaire and convenience sampling. A total of 706 urban residents of Kerman participated. The data collection tool comprised four sections: demographic information, awareness of social emergency services, awareness of examples of social problems, and practice when encountering social problems.
Results: The mean age of respondents was 36 years, and the majority (70.3%) were women. Regarding awareness, 71% of participants had poor knowledge of social emergency, and 86.7% demonstrated poor awareness of examples of social problems. Additionally, 44.2% exhibited inadequate practice when encountering social problems. The logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between awareness of social emergency services and both performance and higher education. Individuals with adequate awareness exhibited, on average, 2.28 times better performance than those with inadequate awareness. Similarly, individuals with higher education had, on average, 3.68 times better awareness as compared to those with less than a high school diploma. A significant relationship was also found between awareness of social problems indicators and marital status. Married individuals demonstrated, on average, 0.56 times lower awareness as compared to single individuals. Furthermore, gender and education level were significantly associated with performance. Men’s performance levels were, on average, 1.42 times better than women’s. Additionally, individuals with university and high school education exhibited, on average, 4.22 and 3.47 times better performance, respectively, than those with less than a high school diploma.
Conclusion: Given the poor public awareness of social emergency, there is an urgent need for programs aimed at raising awareness about social problems and the role of social emergency in supporting victims.

Effect of Virtual Retraining Courses on the Knowledge, Attitude and Performance of Konarak Health Workers in the Malaria Elimination Program in 2022

Roghayeh Ershad Sarabi

Background and Aim: Malaria is one of the health challenges in many countries worldwide. Iran is among the countries that have prioritized a malaria elimination program, aiming to interrupt local transmission of the disease by 2025. Health workeres (community health workers) play an important role in primary healthcare for identifying, controlling, and preventing malaria. Keeping their knowledge and skills up-to-date through continuous training can be effective in the success of this program. Virtual training is a modern educational method that facilitates such training courses. This study aimed to investigate the impact of virtual retraining courses on the knowledge, attitude, and performance of konarak health workers in implementing the malaria elimination program in 2022.
Materials and Methods: This research was a quasi-experimental study with a single-group pre-test and post-test design. The population included 69 individuals who were enrolled using a census method. Initially, a pre-test was conducted to assess the baseline level of knowledge, attitude, and performance of participants regarding malaria elimination strategies. Then, the educational intervention was delivered virtually, followed by a post-test to evaluate the outcomes. The educational content was provided in eight 45-minute sessions by an instructor from the Health worker Training Center using the Sky Room platform. Data collection was performed using a researcher-made questionnaire. Content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed, and its reliability was assessed in a pilot study prior to the training by the responsible expert; the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the questionnaire items was calculated at an acceptable level (r=0.83). Data were analyzed using SPSS software and paired t-tests.
Results: Out of 69 participants, 40 (58%) were male and 29 (42%) female. Comparison of pre-test and post-test results showed that the mean scores of knowledge, attitude, and performance of health workeres increased by 1.05, 1.2, and 1.17 units respectively after the training, and these differences were statistically significant (P=0.000).
Conclusion: Based on the results, considering the advantages of virtual training such as easy access, lower cost, and wide coverage, this method is recommended as a strategy for educational programs for healthcare staff.

The Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy by Group Method on The Amount of Stress, Anxiety and Depression and Pain Intensity of Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

Elham Abdolahi Shahvali

Background and Aim: One of the most important medical problems in the whole world is chronic pain, which affects millions of people every year and they are not provided with proper treatment. Research shows that one of the consequences of chronic pain is emotional reactions such as anxiety, depression, and stress that occur due to the long-term effects of pain. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to determine the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy on the mental health and pain intensity level of patients with chronic pain.
Materials and Methods: In this semi-experimental study, 126 patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain and having entry and exit criteria from physiotherapy centers under the supervision of Shoushtar Medical Sciences Faculty were randomly divided into two groups of 63 intervention and control. The intervention group received the intervention based on cognitive behavioral therapy for three months and 12 educational sessions. The patients of both groups completed the data collection tool, which included the numerical pain questionnaire (VAS) and the stress, anxiety and depression level questionnaire DASS21, before the intervention and one week after the completion of the educational intervention. To analyze the data, descriptive and parametric tests (paired t and independent t), Pearson correlation and covariance analysis were used using SPSS software.
Results: The average age of the participants was (46.12±27.16) years. The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy was associated with a significant reduction in stress, anxiety, and depression levels (P<0.001) only in the intervention group, and this reduction was seen in the levels of stress (P=0.032), anxiety (P=0.030), and depression (P=0.015) compared to the control group. A significant reduction in pain intensity was observed in both groups (P<0.001). However, this reduction in the intervention group was not statistically different from the control group (P>0.05). Also, there was no significant correlation between the levels of stress, anxiety, and depression and pain disability (P<0.05).
Conclusion: The findings of the present study emphasize the importance of using cognitive behavioral therapy in a group setting to treat stress, anxiety, depression, and pain intensity in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Smart Health Ecosystem of Osteoporotic Fracture Prevention: A Qualitative Systematic Review

Ali Moeini

Background and Aim: Smart health, due to its capacity in disease prevention, is a suitable solution for providing osteoporosis fracture prevention services. Also, the existence of close relationships between active organizations for the prevention of this disease requires this area to be examined from the perspective of the ecosystem. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the factors and players of the ecosystem of preventing fractures caused by osteoporosis in smart health.
Materials and Methods: A qualitative systematic review of meta-synthesis was conducted to find resources related to the prevention of osteoporosis-related fractures. For this purpose, scientific databases of Web of Science, Scopus and PubMed were examined and 155 were selected from 10344 sources found. At the end, by using the Shannon entropy method, the categories of each dimension were ranked.
Results: This systematic review demonstrated that the ecosystem for preventing fractures caused by osteoporosis comprises four main categories of factors: lifestyle (nutrition, exercise, fall prevention, cessation of tobacco, alcohol, and caffeine consumption), clinical (screening, diagnosis, and drug therapy), technological (infrastructure, platform, and application), and contextual (cultural, social participation, policy, economic, and education). The application and infrastructure secured the first and second positions in the ranking, while the platform and education collectively ranked third. Ecosystem participants were also categorized into three core layers: the fracture prevention and treatment team members, firms related to fracture prevention and treatment, and other health stakeholders; the extended layer, which includes affected or at-risk individuals, education stakeholders, cultural stakeholders, social stakeholders, and health stakeholders; and the external layer, comprising international organizations and national ministries. In the ranking, affected or at-risk individuals, other health stakeholders, and fracture prevention and treatment team members earned first to third positions, respectively.
Conclusion: The research results showed that “technological”, “contextual”, “lifestyle change” and “clinical” factors are in the first to fourth places, respectively. Also, among the players, the first place was assigned to the extended layer, the main core took the second place, and the external layer took the third place.

The Effect of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on The Expression of Genes Involved in the Production of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Biofilm Isolated from Cystic Fibrosis Patients

Setareh Haghighat

Background and Aim: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen that is often found in patients with cystic fibrosis, burn wounds, immunodeficiency, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder. In addition, P. aeruginosa is also considered one of the most important pathogens causing hospital infections, widely found in medical devices (ventilation), because they tend to grow on moist surfaces. Considering the importance of cystic fibrosis treatment and the ability of P. aeruginosa to form biofilms, this study examines the effect of nano zinc oxide particle on the expression of genes associated in biofilm formation in isolated P. aeruginosa from cystic fibrosis patients.
Materials and Methods: Sputum and throat samples from 150 patients with cystic fibrosis were cultured on MacConkey agar culture medium. After an overnight incubation, the grown colonies were determined and confirmed by biochemical tests. An antibiotic sensitivity test by disk diffusion method (Kirby –bauer) were used to determine the antibiotic susceptibility pattern. Zinc nanoparticles were synthesized following established protocols and evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The multi-antibiotic-resistant strains were inoculated with 16 µg/ml of 2 nm ZnO nanoparticles and inhibition zone were meseared. The impact of these nanoparticles on the expression levels of gas, retS, lasR, and rhlR genes was assessed using Real-Time PCR. The relative gene expression level was determined using the gene expression method: (ΔΔCt-2).
Results: Of the total 150 samples, 73 (48.66%) isolates were identified as P. aeruginosa. All P. aeruginosa isolates were resistant to selected antibiotics. SEM evaluation indicated that the synthesized nanoparticles had an average size of approximately 4 ± 0.44 nm. The results from the Real-Time PCR tests showed a decrease in the expression of the gacA, retS, lasR, and rhlR genes in the presence of the zinc nanoparticles in P. aeruginosa strains. The most significant reduction in gene expression was observed for the rhlR gene, whereas the least reduction was noted for the retS gene.
Conclusion: The use of nano zinc oxide can eliminate Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection by preventing biofilm formation and providing better treatment results for cystic fibrosis patients with lung infection.