Search

Administrators and faculty at many colleges and universities are dedicated to making the faculty hiring process fair and equitable. One program that has shown promise is to train and appoint a Diversity Advocate (DA) to serve on each faculty search and screen committee. In this study, we created and examined the early stages of a DA program at a single institution. After undergoing special training, the DA works on the search committee to encourage best practices and to discourage schemas and stereotypes from interfering with the process. Our DA program differs from some in that efforts are made to train DAs who are demographically in the majority, work in the area where the search is taking place, and have earned tenure or promotion. Training those who are demographically in the majority helps meet our goal of broadening the responsibility for evidence-based and equitable hiring practices across faculty members. While reliable data on hiring outcomes is not yet available, we developed a survey to evaluate the DA training and conducted focus groups to understand the DA experience better. Our results highlight how DAs intervened in the search process to make it more equitable. The interventions included encouraging the use of best practices, such as leading the committee in creating a rubric for evaluating candidates and intervening when bias was present. Our study provides evidence that a DA program is one way to expand the pool of faculty committed to inclusive excellence.

Introduction: Influenza is a contagious acute viral disease of the respiratory tract that causes fever, headache, muscle aches and cough. One of the unique features of influenza virus is antigenic variation in viral protein neuraminidase (NA) which causes emergence of new virus variants. NA is responsible for the release and spread of progeny virions. Due to the continuous changes of NA genes, vaccine strains must be re-selected annually. Methods: Complete NA amino acid sequences of 97 strains circulating from 2006 to 2013 in Iran were downloaded from NCBI. The sequences were edited and classified by the year of isolation and their diversity and important changes as well as changes in the predicted ligand binding sites and their resistance to anti-NA drugs, were analyzed. Bioinformatics software such as MEGA6.0, BioEdit, DNAsisMAX and DNAstar were used for the sequence alignments and phylogenetic analyses. Web-based analysis such as SWISS-MODEL, Phyre2 and 3DLigandSite were used for evaluation of the second and third protein structures and prediction of the ligand binding sites. Results: The results showed that 2009 could be considered as an important transition year which caused to classify the isolates into two different distinct groups. This shows the importance of changes made during possible mutations in the genomic structure of the virus which have made it antigenically different from the previous years. Anti-NA drug resistance was observed in 2009. This pandemic strain has become dominant in the following years and is used as a standard vaccine strain from 2010 onwards. Conclusion: The results obtained in this study can aid in better understanding of the antigenic evolution of H1N1 influenza viruses and can potentially accelerate the selection of the vaccine strains.

Stress and mental health at the place of work have received great attention by researchers. In spite of technology improvement in high-tech systems, the operators face new problems, which can affect mental health. There is hardly any published research about stress or mental health in such workplaces in developing countries. This paper presents the application of the self-rating scale General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) to study mental health of 160 controllers working in a part of Air Traffic Control (ATC) as a high-tech system in Iran. Logistic regression analysis showed that demographic variables did not exhibit a statistically significant effect on scores of the test. In order to compare mental health of these operators with general population, an exposure / non-exposure study was designed. Three age groups (less than 29 years, 30 through 39 y, and more than 40 y) were compared in exposed and non-exposed groups. The results of Fisher’s exact test showed that mental distress symptoms were significantly higher in the exposed group. There were significant job effects on somatization, anxiety and depression as well as on the total score of GHQ-28 for the two first age groups (P

The need to identify specialty crops in Virginia has driven interest in faba beans (Vicia faba L.), which offer potential benefits for crop rotation systems. As a cool-season crop, faba beans can be planted in both fall and spring, providing flexibility in farming schedules. A field study was conducted at Randolph Farm, the Virginia State University Research and Extension Farm, using a completely randomized factorial block design. This study examines the performance of seven faba bean varieties—Ethiopia, NEB247, Aprovecho, EN3, EN47, Windsor and EN45—across three spring (late February, late March and mid April), and three fall (late September, early October and late October) planting dates. Our results demonstrate that both variety and planting date significantly influence the yield and yield components of faba beans. Among the varieties tested, Windsor and EN47 exhibited superior traits across multiple categories, making them preferable for achieving high yields. Conversely, varieties such as EN45, Aprovecho, and NEB247 showed poor performance. Fall planting dates generally resulted in superior growth, yield, and maturity characteristics, underscoring their importance for maximizing faba bean production. We observed that faba beans planted in the fall had 58% more branches, 100% more shoot dry matter, 34% higher 100-seed weight, double the grain yields, and 8% higher harvest index compared to those planted in the spring. To further enhance faba bean production, additional studies are suggested to clarify the physiological relationships between photosynthesis rates and the sink-source dynamics. Furthermore, investigating how planting dates impact the nutrient components of faba beans will provide deeper insights into optimizing their cultivation.

Background: As a worldwide pandemic, metabolic syndrome (MetS) is related with high disease burden. The emergence of multiple chronic diseases can be attributed to unfavorable dietary and lifestyle choices made by individuals, with hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance as the underlying causes. Current study sought to assess the relationship between the Empirical Dietary Index for Hyperinsulinemia (EDIH) and the Empirical Lifestyle Index for Hyperinsulinemia (ELIH) and MetS risk factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 339 individuals between the ages of 20 and 50, who were either obese or overweight, and were recruited from Tabriz, Iran. In this study, a validated semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) with 168 questions was used to assess individuals’ food consumption. Blood tests were performed to assess total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglyceride (TG) levels, as well as blood glucose and insulin levels. Results: After multivariable adjustment, among tertiles of EDIH, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and TG were significantly different. Also, SBP, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and HDL-C significantly differed across tertiles of ELIH. In multivariate-adjusted models, individuals classified in the highest tertile of EDIH demonstrated elevated ORs in relation to FBG levels [OR: 1.035 (1.004-1.068; P

Introduction: Numerous clinical trials have investigated the effects of fenugreek, a traditional herbal medicine, on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the results from these studies have been inconsistent. Therefore, we aimed to perform a meta-analysis on the effects of fenugreek supplementation on weight, body mass index (BMI), lipid profile, and glycemic indices in patients with T2DM. Methods: We searched PubMed, Scopus, Embase, ISI Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases to identify clinical trial studies until October 2023. The data were analyzed using a random-effects model and presented as the weighted mean difference (WMD) along with the associated 95 % confidence interval (CI). Results: A total of 19 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The results indicated a significant impact of fenugreek supplementation on lowering fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (WMD: 20.32 mg/dl; 95 % CI: 26.65 to −13.99), hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) (WMD: 0.54 %; 95 % CI: 0.80 to −0.28), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (WMD: 0.36; 95 % CI: 0.67 to −0.05), total cholesterol (TC) (WMD: 33.10 mg/dL; 95 % CI: 64.31 to −1.88), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (WMD: 29.14 mg/dL; 95 % CI: 55.45 to −2.83), BMI (WMD: 0.73 kg/m2; 95 % CI: 1.40 to −0.07), and increasing the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (WMD: 5.68 mg/dL; 95 % CI: 3.51 to 7.85). However, the effect on fasting insulin, triglycerides, and weight was not significant. Conclusions: Fenugreek supplementation has been shown to improve FPG, HbA1C, HOMA-IR, TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, and BMI in patients with T2DM. The overall results suggest that fenugreek may have protective and therapeutic effects on T2DM parameters.

Background: Employees are considered internal customers of the organization, and today, employee’s experience has become a prominent topic in the field of human resources. This study aims to model the factors affecting employees’ experience management in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences using fuzzy interpretive structural modeling. Methods: This applied study was descriptive-analytical conducted in 2023. 10 faculty members, managers, and staff of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences were selected using a purposive sampling method. Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) questionnaire consisting of a 7x7 matrix was then given to them, and they were asked to find the contextual relationship between the variables based on the pairwise comparison scale. In the analysis section, fuzzy interpretive structural modeling and MICMAC analysis were used to structure and analyze the status of the factors. Results: 7 organized themes (organizational, physical environment, technological, job, managerial, cultural, and individual factors) were identified for employees’ experience in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Findings showed that cultural and managerial factors are at the lowest level of the structure and have more influence and less dependence. In other words, these are the most influential factors on employees’ experience. Job, technology, and organizational factors were placed at the second level. In contrast, individual and physical factors were at the highest level of the structure and had less influence and more dependence on other factors. Conclusion: The findings indicate that Mashhad University of Medical Sciences should focus on strengthening and improving cultural and managerial factors to improve employees’ experience. Additionally, attention to job, technology, and organizational factors, along with addressing individual employee’s needs and providing a favorable physical environment, are essential for employees’ effective experience management at the university. This study, by providing a comprehensive model of factors influencing employees’ experience, assists universities and other organizations in gaining a deeper understanding of this concept and developing effective strategies for its enhancement.

Background: According to the reports, the road traffic injuries (RTI) mortality rate in Iran as a middle-income country in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) decreased in past decades but is higher than the global level and remained a health problem.Objectives: This study aimed to report the characteristics of registered patients injured by different trauma mechanisms in Yazd City, Iran.Methods: In this study, the patients were registered from September 28, 2016, to December 31, 2022, at Shahid Rahnamoon Hospital, affiliated with the National Trauma Registry of Iran (NTRI) for its first phase. Inclusion criteria were hospital length of stay (LOS) of more than 24 hours, death due to injury in the hospital, or transfer from other hospitals' intensive care units (ICU). Age, gender, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), systolic blood pressure (SBP), cause of injury, LOS, injury severity score (ISS), and in-hospital mortality were assessed.Results: Among 3960 participants, 2307 (58.2%) patients were injured due to RTI as the most common cause of injury. Also, 949 (23.9%) and 359 (9.1%) of the participants experienced fall and stab/cut injuries, respectively. Men were affected more than women in all injury causes (p

As an instance of foreign language comprehension, L2 humor perception is proved to be challenging for the foreign language learners. However, the body of literature is heavier on the side of humor production than humor perception. The current study explores the extent to which Iranian English as foreign language (EFL) learners perceive different types of English humor in comparison with the English native speakers. The participants were 153 Iranian EFL learners at intermediate level of language proficiency who were randomly selected from English language learners from several English language institutes in Shiraz, Iran, and 30 American English native speakers who voluntarily participated in this study. A questionnaire consisting of six contextualized jokes of three major types of universal, cultural, and linguistic (with morphological, phonological, lexical, and syntactic subcategories) was developed based on Schmitz's (2002) classification of verbal humor to obtain the quantitative data. Moreover, a semi-structured interview was conducted to elicit the perception of those participants who did not find the jokes humorous. The results showed that the majority of Iranian EFL participants did not realize the humor in the jokes. Additionally, the findings revealed that generally speaking, Iranian EFL learners' perception of humor is significantly lower in all types of jokes examined. The best perceived type of humor was found to be the linguistic humor of morphological type for the Iranian EFL learners and the lexical type for English native speakers. It was also discovered that the phonological humor was the least perceived type of humor for both Iranian EFL learners and English native speakers.