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Background and Objective: Mothers' attitudes towards the possibility of an accident and its related preventive measures can affect children's injuries. Psychological theories and constructs provide an opportunity to explain how people's attitudes affect their decision making in adoption of a health behavior. This study examined attitudes of women from Jiroft city about prevention of home injuries in children under 5 years through Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) in 2015. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 204 mothers with children less than 5 years were selected from those who referred to health centers of Jiroft in 2015. In this regard, random cluster sampling method was applied. A self-administered questionnaire based on PMT was used to collect information. The data were then analyzed using descriptive statistical methods to investigate the distribution of responses to the questions. Later, one-way ANOVA and independent t-test were applied to observe the relationship between demographic variables and protection motivation. Results: The age range of mothers was 16 - 49 years. History of domestic injuries was reported in 22.5 percent of participants. It was more than six months that 70.6 % of mothers were implementing safety measures at home. In threat assessment processes, mothers' most important attitudes were related to fear of home injuries (46.6 %); however, in coping assessment processes, it was related to perceived self-efficacy (51.9%). Conclusion: The results showed that increase of fear and perceived self-efficacy in mothers has a greater role in their motivation to prevent home injuries. This can be considered as an appropriate strategy in planning health promotion interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Exclusive breastfeeding is the most effective way of feeding infants until 6 months of age. The present study aimed to determine the beliefs of pregnant women in Qom city about exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months of age based on constructs of theory of planned behavior. : In this descriptive cross-sectional study, after designing a questionnaire to measure the constructs of theory of planned behavior, including behavioral, normative, and control beliefs, and also determining its validity and reliability, 240 pregnant women in Qom were selected using cluster sampling and completed the questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: More emotional relationship with infants was the most important positive behavioral belief, and belief in breast malformation and fatigue was negative behavioral beliefs about exclusive breastfeeding among the pregnant women. The opinion of physicians and health care providers about exclusive breastfeeding was reported as the most important normative belief, and urging of relatives, especially mother or mother-in-law to use sweet water or powdered milk was the most important control beliefs among the mothers, which made exclusive breastfeeding difficult. Conclusion: Promoting positive beliefs and correcting wrong beliefs about exclusive breastfeeding, along with consideration of the role of health care providers and husband would help pregnant mothers to accept the choice of exclusive breastfeeding until the end of 6 months of age.

Introduction: The attachment a mother feels for her fetus intensifies her duty to care for it, leading to a heightened desire to engage in behaviors that promote health. This research explored the association between maternal-fetal attachment (MFA) and adherence to health-related behaviors among pregnant women., Methods: This cross-sectional study focused on 220 pregnant women in Jahrom City, and was conducted using a multi-stage random sampling strategy. The data were collected using the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale paired with a questionnaire that addressed health behaviors relevant to pregnancy. The data were analyzed using SPSS18 software, employing linear regression and the Pearson correlation test. A p-value of less than 0.05 was deemed significant., Results: The mean age of participants was 28.06 ± 5.12 years. The adherence to health behaviors in pregnant women yielded a mean score of 174.51 ± 20.20. Pearson's correlation test revealed a significant statistical association between MFA and adherence to health behaviors (r = 0.54, p < 0.001). The linear regression analysis showed that the dimensions of interaction with the fetus (β = 0.19) and the act of surrendering to the fetus (β = 0.27) could explain 35% of the variance in adherence to health behaviors (F = 14.12, R2 = 0.35, p < 0.001)., Conclusion: This study highlights a significant association between MFA and adherence to health behaviors throughout pregnancy. Supportive measures may strengthen MFA, promoting self-care practices and behaviors, ultimately resulting in improved health for both the mother and her fetus., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Ethical approval for this research has been secured from the ethics committee of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, designated by the code IR.JUMS.REC.1401.046. A written informed consent was obtained from all participants. The study was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Consent for publication: Not applicable: individual information has not been published. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: There is limited information about people's beliefs regarding how they deal with mental health problems, especially in developing countries. This study was conducted with the aim of determining predictors of seeking mental health services (SMHS) among Iranian middle-aged people., Method: The current study is a cross-sectional study on 384 middle-aged people from Jahrom city that was selected with random cluster sampling. The data collection tool is a researcher-made questionnaire consisting demographic information and health beliefs about SMHS based on the health belief model. To examine the prediction of variables explaining SMHS, a linear regression analysis was carried out. P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant., Results: Perceived susceptibility (β = 0.22; p < 0.001), perceived severity (β = 0.13; p = 0.002), perceived barriers (β = 0.39; p < 0.001) and perceived self-efficacy (β = 0.37; p < 0.001) could explain 44% of variance of SMHS (F = 61.46; p < 001)., Conclusion: SMHS was related to people's perceptions and beliefs, and middle-aged people's perceived barriers were stronger predictors. It is necessary for health planners to develop and implement educational intervention programs that include health beliefs., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The protocol of the study was approved by the ethics committee of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences (IR.JUMS.REC.1400.067). A written informed consent was obtained from all participants. Consent for publication: Not applicable: individual information has not been published. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

High health literacy (HL) plays a critical role in preventing or delaying the onset of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and can improve disease management and control. The present study aims to determine the association between HL and non-laboratory-based (office-based) Framingham 10-year risk score of CVD. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 648 people aged 30-65 in the health centers of Jahrom. The Health Literacy Instrument for Adults (HELIA) was used to assess HL. The non-laboratory-based Framingham risk score (FRS) was utilized to determine the 10-year risk of CVDs. Risk factors such as age, gender, diabetes, current smoking status, systolic blood pressure (SBP), hypertension (HTN) treatment, and body mass index (BMI) were applied in the non-laboratory-based model. The average age of the subjects was 44.7 ± 10.5 years, among which 49.2% were males. The prevalence of diabetes, HTN, and smoking equaled 8.5%, 15.7%, and 10%, respectively. In addition, the average BMI was 26.1 ± 3.6 kg/m 2 . Based on the non-laboratory-based Framingham 10-year risk score of CVD, 72.5%, 13.9%, and 13.6% of the subjects were in the low, moderate, and high risk groups, respectively. Based on the HL grouping, the levels of insufficient, borderline, sufficient, and excellent HL were 19.3%, 26.4%, 34.6%, and 19.7%, respectively. A significant association was observed between 10-year CVD risk and HL grouping. In addition, a negative correlation was reported at the individual level between HL and non-laboratory-based FRS among the whole population (r = - 0.39, p < 0.001), men (r = - 0.32, p < 0.001), and women (r = - 0.42, p < 0.001). A higher HL score is associated with a lower risk of CVD. In addition, the adjusted logistic regression analysis showed that there was a strong association between elevated CVD risk (≥ 10%) and HL (OR 6.1, 95% CI 2.9-12.6) among inadequate HL participants compared with excellent HL individuals. Thus, designing and implementing training programs to increase HL, especially among those who are at risk of CVDs, should be regarded as an important issue for the prevention of such diseases., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Bacterial leaf streak disease caused by Xanthomonas translucens pv. undulosa is an economically important disease threatening wheat and barley crops around the globe. Thus far, specific PCR-based detection and identification tests for X. translucens pathovars are not available. In this study, we used comparative genomics approach to design a pathovar-specific primer pair for detection of X. translucens pv. undulosa in naturally infected seeds and its differentiation from other pathovars of the species. For this aim, complete genome sequences of strains of different X. translucens pathovars were compared and the specific PCR primer pair XtuF/XtuR was designed. These primers were strictly specific to X. translucens pv. undulosa because the expected 229-bp DNA fragment was not amplified in the closely related pathovars or in other xanthomonads, wheat-pathogenic bacteria, and other plant-pathogenic bacteria. High sensitivity of the primer pair XtuF/XtuR allowed detection of pure DNA of the pathogen in a concentration as low as 4.5 pg/μl. The pathogen was also detected in water suspension at a concentration of 8.6 × 10 2 CFU/ml. The PCR test was capable of detecting the pathogen in extracts of naturally infected wheat seeds at a concentration of 3.5 × 10 4 CFU/g while a culture-plate method was able to detect the pathogen at a concentration of 50 × 10 5 CFU/g of the same seeds. The PCR test developed in this study is a step forward for precise detection and identification of X. translucens pv. undulosa to prevent outbreaks of the bacterial leaf streak disease., Competing Interests: The author(s) declare no conflict of interest.

Background: Women's health care seeking delays remains an unresolved major public health problem in developing and underdeveloped countries. This study aimed to evaluate a health-promoting neighborhood intervention to improve health care seeking behavior (HCSB) among reproductive age Iranian women using Health Promotion Model (HPM)., Method: This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 160 women of reproductive age in two groups: experimental and control. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaire based on HPM constructs and a medical symptom checklist. A health-promoting neighborhood intervention was performed in seven sessions for the experimental group. HCSB and HPM constructs were measured before and 3 months after intervention in the two groups. p < 0.05 was considered significant level., Results: The average mean age of participants was 30.45 ± 7.80 years. After intervention, the mean score of self-efficacy, interpersonal influences, commitment to plan and HCSB was increased significantly in women in the experimental group, while negative constructs such as perceived barriers, negative activity-related affect, and immediate competing demands and preferences significantly decreased (p < 0.05). In addition, the mean score of referring for symptoms such as excessive sweating, persistent fatigue or weakness, headache, bleeding or spotting between periods, vaginal itching and irritation, unusual vaginal discharge, flashing, chest pain, rapid heartbeats, aching muscles or joints, urinary problems and some mental disorder was increased significantly in experimental group compared to control group (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: The results of study show that an intervention based on the HPM have a positive impact on HCSB and its associated factors and can help improve women's health behaviors and health outcomes., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

In this work, a series of new biodegradable and biocompatible hydrogels were synthesized by photopolymerization of dextran-methacrylate (DXM) with poly(ethylene glycol)-maleic acid copolymer (poly(PEG-co-MA, PEGMA)) using (-)-riboflavin as a visible light photoinitiator and L-arginine as a co-photoinitiator. DXM was prepared by acylation of dextran (DX) with methacryloyl chloride (MAC), and PEGMA was synthesized by polycondensation of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and maleic acid (MA). The DXM and PEGMA were characterized by FT-IR and 1 HNMR spectroscopy. Different types of hydrogels from various ratios of DXM and PEGMA were prepared and characterized by SEM. The results showed that the prepared hydrogel by photo-cross-linking of DXM (DPHG0) was transparent and flexible, and its physical shape was excellent, but it was sticky. The stickiness was reduced by increasing the PEGMA contents, and different types of DXM/PEGMA hydrogels (DPHG1-4) with various properties were prepared. For example, DPHG2 (PEGMA content was 0.25 g) was transparent and flexible, its physical shape was excellent, and it was not sticky. The prepared hydrogels showed excellent cytocompatibility, and their tensile and compressive strength were also evaluated. Additionally, the in vitro degradation and swelling ratios of the prepared hydrogels were studied in buffer solution at different pHs., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Introduction: Dance can reduce motor symptoms in persons with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the effect on psychosocial wellbeing, including self-esteem and quality of life is less clear., Methods: Forty-nine persons with PD (Hoehn and Yahr stage 1-4) participated in weekly dance classes for a consecutive period of 22 weeks, 36 participants completed the classes. Two baseline measurements (T1a and T1b) were performed during a 2-week control period prior to the dance classes. Post-measurements (T2) were performed immediately after 22 weeks of dance classes. Primary outcome was self-esteem as measured with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Score., Results: Self-esteem scores were stable across the two baseline measurements and improved significantly after the dance classes (1.5 points improvement between T1b and T2, 95% CI 0.3, 2.7; p = 0.012). Additionally, quality of life as measured with the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire 39 improved significantly (3.4 points reduction between T1b and T2, 95%CI - 5.7, - 1.2; p = 0.003) as did motor symptoms as measured with the Movement Disorders Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-part III (6.2 points reduction between T1b and T2, 95%CI - 10.1, - 2.4; p = 0.002). Balance confidence as measured with the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale did not change., Discussion and Conclusions: Dance classes seem to improve self-esteem, quality of life and motor symptoms in persons with PD. These effects should be investigated further in a randomized clinical trial., Clinical Message: Dance classes may be a valuable complementary treatment option in people with PD to improve not only motor symptoms, but also self-esteem and quality of life., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.)

Xanthomonas arboricola comprises a number of economically important fruit tree pathogens classified within different pathovars. Dozens of nonpathogenic and taxonomically unvalidated strains are also designated as X. arboricola , leading to a complicated taxonomic status in the species. In this study, we have evaluated the whole-genome resources of all available Xanthomonas spp. strains designated as X. arboricola in the public databases to refine the members of the species based on DNA similarity indexes and core genome-based phylogeny. Our results show that, of the nine validly described pathovars within X. arboricola , pathotype strains of seven pathovars are taxonomically genuine, belonging to the core clade of the species regardless of their pathogenicity on the host of isolation (thus the validity of pathovar status). However, strains of X. arboricola pv. guizotiae and X. arboricola pv. populi do not belong to X. arboricola because of the low DNA similarities between the type strain of the species and the pathotype strains of these two pathovars. Thus, we propose to elevate the two pathovars to the rank of a species as X. guizotiae sp. nov. with the type strain CFBP 7408 T and X. populina sp. nov. with the type strain CFBP 3123 T . In addition, other mislabeled strains of X. arboricola were scattered within Xanthomonas spp. that belong to previously described species or represent novel species that await formal description.

In summer 2019, widespread occurrence of crown gall disease caused by Agrobacterium spp. was observed on commercially grown ornamental plants in southern Iran. Beside agrobacteria, pale yellow-pigmented Gram-negative strains resembling the members of Xanthomonas were also associated with crown gall tissues on weeping fig (Ficus benjamina) and Amaranthus sp. plants. The purpose of the present study was to characterize the crown gall-associated Xanthomonas strains using plant inoculation assays, molecular-phylogenetic analyses, and comparative genomics approaches. Pathogenicity tests showed that the Xanthomonas strains did not induce disease symptoms on their host of isolation. However, the strains induced hypersensitive reaction on tobacco, geranium, melon, squash, and tomato leaves via leaf infiltration. Multilocus sequence analysis suggested that the strains belong to clade IA of Xanthomonas , phylogenetically close to Xanthomonas translucens, X. theicola, and X. hyacinthi. Average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between the whole-genome sequences of the strains isolated in this study and reference Xanthomonas strains are far below the accepted thresholds for the definition of prokaryotic species, signifying that these strains could be defined as two new species within clade IA of Xanthomonas . Comparative genomics showed that the strains isolated from crown gall tissues are genetically distinct from X. translucens , as almost all the type III secretion system genes and type III effectors are lacking in the former group. The data obtained in this study provide novel insight into the breadth of genetic diversity of crown gall-associated bacteria and pave the way for research on gall-associated Xanthomonas -plant interactions. IMPORTANCE Tumorigenic agrobacteria-members of the bacterial family Rhizobiaceae -cause crown gall and hairy root diseases on a broad range of plant species. These bacteria are responsible for economic losses in nurseries of important fruit trees and ornamental plants. The microclimate of crown gall and their accompanying microorganisms has rarely been studied for the microbial diversity and population dynamics of gall-associated bacteria. Here, we employed a series of biochemical tests, pathogenicity assays, and molecular-phylogenetic analyses, supplemented with comparative genomics, to elucidate the biological features, taxonomic position, and genomic repertories of five crown gall-associated Xanthomonas strains isolated from weeping fig and Amaranthus sp. plants in Iran. The strains investigated in this study induced hypersensitive reactions (HR) on geranium, melon, squash, tobacco, and tomato leaves, while they were nonpathogenic on their host of isolation. Phylogenetic analyses and whole-genome-sequence-based average nucleotide identity (ANI)/digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) calculations suggested that the Xanthomonas strains isolated from crown gall tissues belong to two taxonomically unique clades closely related to the clade IA species of the genus, i.e., X. translucens , X. hyacinthi , and X. theicola .

Background: Family caregivers of patients with COVID-19 face many challenges that affect their physical and mental health., Aim: The aim of the present study was to explore experiences of family caregivers of patients with COVID-19., Methods: This phenomenological study was performed based on 13 family caregivers who had experience in home caring for patients with COVID-19. Data were collected through purposive sampling with in-depth semi-structured interviews. The Colaizzi's 7-step method was used to determine themes. The MAXQDA10 software was used to manage qualitative data analysis., Results: Thirteen family caregivers participated. Five main themes describe family caregivers' experiences of caring for patients with COVID-19: nature of the disease; unmet needs; unpleasant physical, psychological, and social experiences; care facilitators and positive experiences., Conclusion: Information and financial support for COVID-19 should be provided to family caregivers. Also, community members should embrace patients and family caregivers and reinforce the positive experiences of caregivers.

Background: Paying more attention to free-roaming dogs' population control seems to be necessary because of public health and environmental problems. The present study used the community readiness model to determine the readiness of Aradan County in terms of collecting stray dogs., Methods: This study is a quantitative-qualitative research study conducted in Aradan County in Semnan Province of Iran. The semi-structured questionnaire uses the six dimensions of the Community Readiness Model as guideline, with 36 items used for the interview. The interviews lasted 45 to 100 minutes with 11 key members including the governor, prefect, mayor's assistant, city council chairman, key trustees, officials responsible for environmental health network, officials responsible for environmentalism of the city, and governors of a rural district. In quantitative part two, assessors read the interviews carefully and assigned scores based on the rating-scale form suggested by the guideline itself for scoring each dimension. A qualitative directed content analysis with deductive approach was used for analyzing the collected qualitative data., Results: The study involved 11 key members of Aradan County, all of whom were male. Most of the participants were over 40 years old and with five years of work experience (73.6 %). The mean score of each six dimensions in Aradan County were: Community efforts (4.78), Community knowledge of efforts (4.28), Leadership (4.90), Community climate (4.38), Community knowledge about the issue (4.20) and Resources related to the issue (3.29) respectively. Community readiness in Aradan County and Aradan City was generally estimated to be in the preplanning stage, whereas vague public awareness was found in the rural areas. In the qualitative part, 870 initial open codes, 589 refund codes, 19 subcategories and 6 themes emerged, including (a) community efforts, (b) community knowledge of the efforts (c) leadership, (d) community climate, (e) community knowledge of the issue, and (f) resources related to the issue., Conclusions: For improving the process of collecting the stray dogs, it is necessary to focus on holding educational sessions for the public to increase their partnership and justify the responsible organizations' activities to collaborate and provide the necessary financial resources.

Background: School closure is one of the main policies of global health care strategies performed worldwide. Despite all benefits, there might be some threats for younger groups spending their time in quarantine. This study aims to determine the impacts of lockdown and school closure on children's major lifestyle aspects, especially their leisure and sleep pattern during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: For the purpose of this study, an online questionnaire was distributed from 14th to 31st of March 2020 among the schools and students from the first grade to the 12th grade (before university) in Fars province, southern Iran. The questionnaire consisted of five sections which included data regarding the students' general information, activity priorities, adherence to quarantine, attitude toward school closure, and sleep patterns., Results: In our study, 20,697 filled questionnaires were received from the participants with an average age of 13.76 years; 29.7% of them were male, 80.6% were from urban areas, and 83.3% were from public schools. The overall first preference of students during school closure was mobile and computer games (30.1%), followed by studying (26.6%) and watching television (13.8%). Our results demonstrated that the majority of students adhered to social distancing and there was also a significant correlation among education levels and desire for schools to be closed till the end of the semester (P = 0.015). Also, regarding sleep patterns, the majority (53.5%) had above 12 h of sleep throughout the day., Conclusion: It seems that lockdown following COVID-19 pandemic has changed various aspects of the students' lifestyle remarkably, especially by increasing screen time and even sleep duration and pattern. We believe that certain strategies should be implemented by the Health and Educational Ministry to control not only the visible side effects of the quarantine period, but also the collateral consequences on their psychological and mental health.

Bacterial wilt of dry beans (family Fabaceae) caused by the actinobacterial agent Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens is one of the most important diseases threatening edible legume production around the globe. Despite the economic losses due to the bacterial wilt disease, the pathogen has not so far been investigated for its genomic features, pathogenicity determinants, and virulence strategies. Here we present the first complete genome sequence of a highly virulent bacteriocin-producing C. flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens strain P990. The bacterium has a circular chromosome consisting of 3,736 kbp with the G+C% content of 71.0%. Furthermore, a 147-kbp circular plasmid (pCff1) with 66.1% G+C% content as well as two circular plasmid-like DNAs with sizes of 25 and 22 kbp were detected within the genomic contents of C. flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens . Phylogenetic analyses revealed that only a few number of Curtobacterium sp. strains deposited in the public databases could be classified within the species C. flaccumfaciens . Comparative genomics of C. flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens using the genome sequences of actinobacterial plant pathogens revealed the presence of a set of unique low G+C% content genomic islands in the C. flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens genome. Homologs of pathogenicity-determinant loci capable of producing 1,4-beta-xylanase ( xysA ), pectate lyase ( pelA1 and pelA2 ), serine protease ( chpC , chpG , and pat-1 ), and sortase ( srtA ) were detected in C. flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens genome. The genomic data presented here extend our understanding of the C. flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens genomic features and pave the ways of research on functional and interaction genetics to combat the risk of bacterial wilt disease in the 21st century's dry bean industry.

Background: Rapid increases in the number of COVID-19 cases have led to the closure of academic institutions including elementary and high schools. The absence from the educational environment can affect the students' emotions towards education and school attendance. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the students' attitude and emotions towards the sudden closure of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: By utilizing a modified version of the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire, a web-based cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the students' positive and negative emotions towards schools during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic., Results: Questionnaires were filled by 20,697 participants with an average age of 13.76, and 70.3% of them were females. Also, 83.3% were from public schools and 80.6% from urban areas. Based on the questionnaire, for positive attitude a median of 31 (IQR 26-35) and for negative attitude a median of 25 (IQR 19-32) were obtained., Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated a satisfactory level of students' emotions regarding schools and education during the closure of schools and institutions. This indicates that despite the imposed situation, students showed enthusiasm towards learning and schools.

Background: Agricultural activities as well as exposure to pesticides could have many adverse effects on health status and reproductive outcomes especially in reproductive aged greenhouse workers. The present study aimed to compare the general and reproductive health outcomes between female greenhouse workers and housewives., Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 645 females of reproductive age. They were categorized into two groups according to occupation in greenhouse (308 female greenhouse workers as exposed group and 337 housewives as control group). Participants were interviewed using a questionnaire about reproductive outcomes and occupational status. Clinical measures include blood pressure (BP), pulse and respiratory rate (PR and RR), body mass index (BMI) and hematological parameters. Mann-Whitney U test was used to assess differences between two groups in quantitative variables. Chi-square or Fisher's exact tests was used to determine the differences in the distribution of categorical variables. Data was analyzed using SPSS software version 16., Results: The average daily working hours of the greenhouse workers were 6.94 ± 1.99 h. Only 44.3% of them used personal protective equipment. Data revealed that the rate of spontaneous abortion, infertility, low birth weight (LBW), abnormal births and preterm birth were significantly higher among the greenhouse workers compared to the control group (p ≤ 0.05). The average number of female infants in greenhouse workers was significantly higher than the control group (p ≤ 0.05). Clinical measurements indicated an increase in RR of greenhouse workers and mean of BMI was decreased in them. Hematological parameters demonstrated that there was a significant increase in white blood cells (WBC) and significant decrease in hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (HCT), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) among the female greenhouse workers compared to the control (p ≤ 0.05)., Conclusion: Local government efforts is needed to address associated issues including acute effects on health and long-term health risks, resulting from pesticide exposure to greenhouse workers, and gender differences should be considered. Also, occupational health and safety training is necessary and can be helpful in reducing adverse reproductive outcomes.

Members of the genus Clavibacter are economically important bacterial plant pathogens infecting a set of diverse agricultural crops (e.g., alfalfa, corn, potato, tomato, and wheat). Tomato-associated Clavibacter sp. strains account for a great portion of the genetic diversity of the genus, and C. michiganensis sensu stricto (formerly C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis ), causing bacterial canker disease, is considered one of the most destructive seed-borne agents for the crop worldwide. However, current taxonomic descriptions of the genus do not reflect the existing diversity of the strains, resulting in unsatisfactory results in quarantine surveys for the pathogens. In this study, we used all the available genome sequences of Clavibacter sp. strains, including the type strains of newly described subspecies, to provide precise insight into the diversity of tomato-associated members of the genus and further clarify the taxonomic status of the strains using genotypic and phenotypic features. The results of phylogenetic analyses revealed the existence of nine hypothetical new species among the investigated strains. None of the three new subspecies (i.e., C. michiganensis subsp. californiensis , C. michiganensis subsp. chilensis , and C. michiganensis subsp. phaseoli ) is included within the tomato-pathogenic C. michiganensis sensu stricto lineage. Although comparative genomics revealed the lack of chp and tomA pathogenicity determinant gene clusters in the nonpathogenic strains, a number of pathogenicity-related genes were noted to be present in all the strains regardless of their pathogenicity characteristics. Altogether, our results indicate a need for a formal taxonomic reconsideration of tomato-associated Clavibacter sp. strains to facilitate differentiation of the lineages in quarantine inspections. IMPORTANCE Clavibacter spp. are economically important bacterial plant pathogens infecting a set of diverse agricultural crops, such as alfalfa, corn, pepper, potato, tomato, and wheat. A number of plant-pathogenic members of the genus (e.g., C. michiganensis sensu stricto and C. sepedonicus , infecting tomato and potato plants, respectively) are included in the A2 (high-risk) list of quarantine pathogens by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO). Although tomato-associated members of Clavibacter spp. account for a significant portion of the genetic diversity in the genus, only the strains belonging to C. michiganensis sensu stricto (formerly C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis ) cause bacterial canker disease of tomato and are subjected to the quarantine inspections. Hence, discrimination between the pathogenic and nonpathogenic Clavibacter sp. strains associated with tomato seeds and transplants plays a pivotal role in the accurate detection and cost-efficient management of the disease. On the other hand, detailed information on the genetic contents of different lineages of the genus would lead to the development of genome-informed specific detection techniques. In this study, we have provided an overview of the phylogenetic and genomic differences between the pathogenic and nonpathogenic tomato-associated Clavibacter sp. strains. We also noted that the taxonomic status of newly introduced subspecies of C. michiganensis (i.e., C. michiganensis subsp. californiensis , C. michiganensis subsp. chilensis , and C. michiganensis subsp. phaseoli ) should be reconsidered., (Copyright © 2020 American Society for Microbiology.)

Background: Dermatomycoses contain superficial fungal infections of keratinized layers of the body such as skin, hair, and nail that affect more than 20%-25% of people and animals worldwide. Some fungi can cause superficial infections in animals after accidental penetration and colonization on injured skin and can be transmitted to humans by exposure. The infection caused mainly by dermatophyte species and may also be caused rarely by yeasts and nondermatophytic molds., Materials and Methods: Eighty-two skin scrapings and hair samples were collected from animals (sheep, cow, cat, camel, calf, goat, horse, and dog) in three specialized pet clinics and three livestock and slaughterhouses. The isolates were identified using direct microscopy, culture, and polymerase chain reaction-sequencing of ITS1-5.8SrDNA-ITS2 region., Results: Thirteen mold strains out of 82 clinical samples (15.8%) were isolated from animal lesions. Acremonium exuviarum ( n = 4; 30.7%), Sarocladium implicatum ( n = 2; 15.4%), Arthroderma otae ( n = 2; 15.4%), Chaetomium iranianum ( n = 1; 7.7%), Trichothecium roseum ( n = 1; 7.7%), Lichtheimia ramosa ( n = 1; 7.7%), Penicillium chrysogenum ( n = 1; 7.7%), and Microsporum equinum ( n = 1; 7.7%) were isolated from clinical specimens., Conclusion: Since opportunistic fungi are increasing as etiological agents of dermatomycoses, isolation of these molds from wounds can be a warning to veterinarians, and daily cleaning of wounds with a proper disinfectant is recommended for the prevention of fungal colonization., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2020 Advanced Biomedical Research.)

Background: One of the most important factors contributing to using formal health care services by women is people who are involved in the social network around them., Aim: This study aimed to understand the interpersonal influences on the use of formal health services among Iranian women of reproductive age., Methods: This study is a deductive content analysis approach based on the Health Promotion Model. Twenty-two semi-structured interviews were done with women of reproductive age and health care staffs in Qom, Iran. Transcripts were analysed by a deductive content analysis approach based on the Health Promotion Model (HPM)., Results: Three main categories and eight subcategories were drawn consisting of (1) social support with 4 subcategories including "Family support and influence", "support of religious people", "support of health care providers" and "negative social support"; (2) social pressure and expectations with 2 subcategories including "feeling pressure due to role-playing" and "society's expectations regarding women's health", and (3) healthy role models with 2 subcategories including "family role models" and "modeling friends and peers in taking action for treatment"., Conclusion: A positive interpersonal influence in women acts as a strong incentive to seek health care when they are suffering from a disease, and prevents the chronicity of the disease by timely treatment.

One of the main challenges in elimination of oil contamination from polluted environments is improvement of biodegradation by highly efficient microorganisms. Bacillus subtilis MJ01 has been evaluated as a new resource for producing biosurfactant compounds. This bacterium, which produces surfactin, is able to enhance bio-accessibility to oil hydrocarbons in contaminated soils. The genome of B. subtilis MJ01 was sequenced and assembled by PacBio RS sequencing technology. One big contig with a length of 4,108,293 bp without any gap was assembled. Genome annotation and prediction of gene showed that MJ01 genome is very similar to B. subtilis spizizenii TU-B-10 (95% similarity). The comparison and analysis of orthologous genes carried out between B. subtilis MJ01, reference strain B. subtilis subsp. subtilis str. 168, and close relative spizizenii TU-B-10 by microscope platform and various bioinformatics tools. More than 88% of 4269 predicted coding sequences in MJ01 had at least one similar sequence in genome of reference strain and spizizenii TU-B-10. Despite this high similarity, some differences were detected among encoding sequences of non-ribosome protein and bacteriocins in MJ01 and spizizenii TU-B-10. MJ01 has unique nucleotide sequences and a novel predicted lasso-peptide bacteriocin; it also has not any similar nucleotide sequence in non-redundant nucleotide data base.

Background: Despite the important role of feelings in health care seeking behavior (HCSB), this subject has not yet been adequately investigated. HCSB-related feelings begin with the onset of disease symptoms and persist in different forms after treatment. The aim of current study was to explore the feelings that women of reproductive age experience when they seek health care. Methods: In this deductive, qualitative content analysis, participants were selected by purposeful sampling. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 17 women of reproductive age and 5 health care staffs in Qom, Iran were carried out until data saturation was achieved. Qualitative data were concurrently analyzed by deductive content analysis, using the Health Promotion Model (HPM). The MAXQDA10 software was used to manage qualitative data analysis. Results: Three main categories were drawn from data to explain the HCSB-related feelings of participants consisting of (1) feeling of inner satisfaction with the treatment with 2 subcategories including "peace of mind" and "feeling alive", (2) multiple roles of fear with 5 subcategories including "fear about the consequences of delay", "fear of having hidden diseases", "fear of unknown experiences", "fear of hearing bad news" and "fear of medical errors" and (3)uncomfortable feelings with 3 subcategories including "feeling uneasy when attending health facility", "feeling embarrassed" and "feeling worthless due to dealing the doctor". Conclusion: This study revealed that the inner feelings of women varied widely, ranging from positive or motivating feelings to negative or inhibitory ones, given their experiences with the formal health care system and the current situation of medical and health services. Highlighting patients' perceived inner satisfaction and reducing fear and uncomfortable feelings by adopting culture-based practical strategies can enhance women's HCSB.

Introduction: This aim of this study was to increase dairy consumption in students following an education intervention based on Pender's Health Promotion Model (Pender's HPM) variables., Methods: The study was done during September 2014-April 2015 in Savojbolagh, Alborz, Iran. The study sample included 142 middle-school female students who were allocated to either the intervention (n=71) or the comparison group (n=71). Pender's HPM variables and the daily servings of dairy foods consumed were measured in both groups by a self-administered questionnaire and a 3 d record before the intervention and 4 weeks later. The 4-week intervention was conducted for the intervention group. The data was analyzed through analysis of covariance and paired t tests., Results: Compared to the comparison group, there were significant differences in Pender's HPM variables (except for the negative feelings, perceived barriers and competing demands), the daily servings of dairy foods consumed, and intakes of Calcium, riboflavin, and vitamin A in the intervention participants following the conducted intervention program., Conclusion: Developing theory-driven nutrition education programs may increase student's dairy foods intake.

Objective: To develop an instrument for measuring Health Promotion Model constructs in terms of breakfast consumption, and to identify the constructs that were predictors of breakfast consumption among Iranian female students., Design: A questionnaire on Health Promotion Model variables was developed and potential predictors of breakfast consumption were assessed using this tool., Participants: One hundred female students, mean age 13 years (SD ± 1.2 years)., Settings: Two middle schools from moderate-income areas in Qom, Iran., Variables Measured: Health Promotion Model variables were assessed using a 58-item questionnaire. Breakfast consumption was also measured., Analysis: Internal consistency (Cronbach alpha), content validity index, content validity ratio, multiple linear regression using stepwise method, and Pearson correlation., Results: Content validity index and content validity ratio scores of the developed scale items were 0.89 and 0.93, respectively. Internal consistencies (range, .74-.91) of subscales were acceptable. Prior related behaviors, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, and competing demand and preferences were 4 constructs that could predict 63% variance of breakfast frequency per week among subjects., Conclusions and Implications: The instrument developed in this study may be a useful tool for researchers to explore factors affecting breakfast consumption among students. Students with a high level of self-efficacy, more prior related behavior, fewer perceived barriers, and fewer competing demands were most likely to regularly consume breakfast., (Copyright © 2014 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of nutrition education intervention based on Pender's Health Promotion Model in improving the frequency and nutrient intake of breakfast consumption among female Iranian students., Design: The quasi-experimental study based on Pender's Health Promotion Model was conducted during April-June 2011. Information (data) was collected by self-administered questionnaire. In addition, a 3 d breakfast record was analysed. P < 0·05 was considered significant., Setting: Two middle schools in average-income areas of Qom, Iran., Subjects: One hundred female middle-school students., Results: There was a significant reduction in immediate competing demands and preferences, perceived barriers and negative activity-related affect constructs in the experimental group after education compared with the control group. In addition, perceived benefit, perceived self-efficacy, positive activity-related affect, interpersonal influences, situational influences, commitment to a plan of action, frequency and intakes of macronutrients and most micronutrients of breakfast consumption were also significantly higher in the experimental group compared with the control group after the nutrition education intervention., Conclusions: Constructs of Pender's Health Promotion Model provide a suitable source for designing strategies and content of a nutrition education intervention for improving the frequency and nutrient intake of breakfast consumption among female students.