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Among the different approaches currently being used to evaluate the contamination level of street dust, the magnetic susceptibility of dust and urban tree leaves has received little attention. The key objectives of this study were: (i) to investigate the feasibility of using pine needles as a bioindicator and biomagnetic indicator for estimating the concentration of selected metals in street dust, and (ii) to predict the contamination level of street dust by selected metals using magnetic susceptibility. Street dust and pine tree needle samples were taken from 60 locations in three adjacent cities in Kerman province (Kerman, Rafsanjan, and Sirjan), southeastern Iran. The total concentrations of selected metals, including Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Pb, and the magnetic susceptibility (χ lf and χ hf ) values of both pine tree needles and street dust samples were determined. Among the three cities studied, samples from Kerman showed the highest magnetic susceptibility and metal concentration values. This could be attributed to the larger size and much higher population density of this city, with more industrial activities and urban traffic than the other two cities investigated. The results also showed that the concentrations of metals in pine needles were strongly correlated (p < 0.01) with those in street dust. The magnetic susceptibility of pine needles and the concentrations of Fe, Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, and Mn in street dust showed a statistically significant correlation (p < 0.01). A strong and statistically significant correlation (p < 0.01) was also found between magnetic susceptibility and the concentration of metals in pine needles. In conclusion, strong relationships between magnetic properties and metal concentrations of pine needles with those of street dust samples seem to make pine needles a good bioindicator and biomagnetic estimator of the contamination level of metals in street dust., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Hossein Khademi reports financial support was provided by Iran National Science Foundation., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aim: This study aimed to assess the relationship between emotional elder abuse and the developmental function of the family., Design: Community-based correlational cross-sectional study was conducted., Methods: Data were collected on 265 older adults from July to October 2019 in Tehran-Iran. The samples were selected by simple random sampling and they completed self-report tools: demographic information, emotional elder abuse developmental function in the family. Data analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential statistics and SPSS software v.16., Results: Mean score of the developmental function in the family was 67.38 (SD = 3.22, range = 0-129). There was a significant negative correlation between the total score of developmental function in the families and emotional elder abuse. Moreover, there was a relationship between the subscale of care and regulation, being attracted to human relationships, purposeful exchange, and creating representatives and ideas with emotional elder abuse., (© 2022 The Authors. Nursing Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Wound healing is a critical clinical concept. We aimed to evaluate the effects of topical Mentha piperita essence on cutaneous wound healing., Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted in Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran in 2019. Square-shaped 1.5×1.5 cm wounds were made on the neck of 60 male Wistar rats in a sterile condition. Samples were randomly divided into a control group and three experimental groups. Group A treated with M. piperita essence and Vaseline. The second group received the M. piperita essence, and the third group received Vaseline. Histological specimens were obtained in 4 th , 7 th , and 14 th days and were explored for fibroblasts, epithelial cells, inflammatory cells, and vessels. RT-PCR was performed for molecular and gene expression evaluation of TGF-β., Results: The M. piperita essence increases TGF-β gene expression as an important factor in wound healing. After 14 d, group A, who received M. piperita and Vaseline, had 99.73% of wound healing with the mean wound size of 0.006 cm 2 while wound healing in the control group was only 52%. Samples treated with M. piperita have 74.58% wound healing following by group treated with Vaseline, which was 67.02% ( P <0.05), respectively., Conclusion: The application of the M. piperita essence for wound healing accelerates the process and improves outcomes., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Objective: The WHO estimates the global incidence of death by drowning to be about 300 000 cases per year. The objective of this study was to estimate the trend in mortality due to drowning in all provinces of Iran in all age groups and both genders from 1990 to 2015., Study Design: The National and Subnational Burden of Diseases (NASBOD) project is a comprehensive project in Iran. It is based on the Global Burden of Disease study and includes novel methods to estimate the burden of diseases in Iran., Methods: This study used the results of the mortality rate due to drowning as part of NASBOD and investigated the causes behind the mortality rates. The data set recorded mortality rates by 19 age groups and two genders with the corresponding subnational pattern during the time period from 1990 to 2015., Results: The drowning mortality rate decreased in Iran from 1990 to 2015. From 1990 to 2015, the annual percentage change for males and females was -5.28% and -10.73%, respectively. There were 56 184 male and 21 589 female fatalities during the study period. The highest number of deaths was seen in 1993 with 4459, and the lowest number of fatalities was observed in 2015 with 903 deaths., Conclusion: Our data showed a decline in drowning mortality in Iran from 1990 to 2015, but the rates and declines varied by province. Our findings are of great importance to health officials and authorities in order to further reduce the burden of drowning., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Persian oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) belongs the family Fagaceae, is a medicinal plant which seed flour is used to treat inflammatory and gastric ulcers by the tribes in south western Iran. The current study was done to evaluate the effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of Q. brantii seed flour for treatment of gastric ulcers induced by ethanol in Wistar rats. The hydro-alcoholic extract of Q. brantii was tested orally at doses of 250, 500, and 1000 mg/Kg, control group and standard drug (omperazole) on experimentally gastric ulceration. At the 3, 6, 9, and 14(th) days, ulcer index in mm(2) and histopathological findings were evaluated. Results indicated the size of ulcers significantly reduced at 9, and 14 days after of Q. brantii extract treatment. Curative effect in the hydro-alcoholic induced gastric damage was 100% at 1000 mg/Kg and omeprazole, 99.8 % at 500 mg/Kg, and 95.4% at 250 mg/Kg after 14 days. Results of histopathological investigation showed the thickness of ulcerated mucosa was similar to the normal mucosa with 1000 mg/Kg of Q. brantii hydro-alcoholic extract after 14 days but in the groups treated by 250, and 500 mg/Kg, superficial erosions were visible in the central portion of the healed ulcers. In conclusion, the hydro-alcoholic extract of Q. brantii had active components (tannin = 8.2%) that accelerates ulcer healing and thus supported its traditional use.

Ephedra pachyclada Boiss. (family Ephedraceae) is a medicinal plant very frequently cited as acting against gastrointestinal disorders in ethno-pharmacological inventories of the Kerman region of Iran. This study was done to evaluate the effect of hydro-alcoholic extract from the stems of E. pachyclada for treatment of gastric ulcers induced by ethanol in Wistar rats. Experimental treatments were the hydro-alcoholic extract of E. pachyclada (250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg, orally), omperazole as standard drug (20 mg/kg, orally), and control group. Ulcer index in mm2 and histological examination were evaluated. On 3, 6, 9 and 12 day after treatments, the hydro-alcoholic extract of E. pachyclata (1000 mg/kg) produced 51, 72, 98.8 and 100% and omperazole also produced 53, 79, 93 and 100% curative effect for gastric mucosal damage in ethanol model, respectively. The results of the histopalogical analysis indicated the hydro-alcoholic extract of E. pachyclada at 1000 mg/kg was effective in experimentally healing rat ulcers. E. pachyclada accelerated ulcer healing in rats and, thus supports its folk medicine use by Kerman people.