Cognitive failures and hand/neck discomfort: Does smartphone addiction contribute?

Background: Due to the emergence of smartphone addiction, as a 21th century phenomenon, investigating its subsequent negative effects is essential.

Objective: The present study aims to test the predicting effect of smartphone addiction on musculoskeletal discomfort in hand/neck region as well as cognitive failures.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed in which 533 smartphone users (60.

The mediating role of sleep quality between pre-sleep portable media device use and nursing performance.

The prevalence of portable media device (PMD) use has proliferated, potentially causing serious problems, particularly in critical situations. The main aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between pre-sleep PMD use and cognitive performance, as well as the mediating effects of sleep quality among nurses. A cross-sectional study was designed, with 200 registered nurses voluntarily participating.

A comparative investigation of machine learning algorithms for predicting safety signs comprehension based on socio-demographic factors and cognitive sign features.

This study examines whether the socio-demographic factors and cognitive sign features can be used for envisaging safety signs comprehensibility using predictive machine learning (ML) techniques. This study will determine the role of different machine learning components such as feature selection and classification to determine suitable factors for safety construction signs comprehensibility. A total of 2310 participants were requested to guess the meaning of 20 construction safety signs (four items for each of the mandatory, prohibition, emergency, warning, and firefighting signs) using the open-ended method.

Effects of traffic sign design and personal characteristics on the usability of traffic signs.

Background: Previous researchers examined the effects of either drivers' personal characteristics or traffic sign design features on the usability of traffic signs. Their research indicated a connection existed between personal characteristics and usability and between design features and usability.

Objectives: The focus of this study was to investigate which personal characteristics of drivers and which features of traffic sign design affect traffic sign usability the most.

Normative data for handgrip strength in Iranian healthy children and adolescents aged 7-18 years: comparison with international norms.

Background: Grip strength is an essential component of physical fitness. The objective of this study was to develop normative handgrip strength data for Iranian healthy boys and girls comparing their handgrip strength with international reference values.

Methods: Handgrip strength was measured in 2637 healthy children/adolescents (1391 boys and 1246 girls), aged 7-18 years, using a standard adjustable Jamar hand dynamometer (Model 5030 J1, Sammons Preston Rolyan, Bolingbrook, IL, USA).

Hand functionality in dentists: the effect of anthropometric dimensions and specialty.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between dentists' hand functionality (handgrip, tip-to-tip pinch, key pinch and palmar pinch strengths) and dental specialty (maxillofacial surgery, endodontics, pediatric dentistry), socio-demographic factors and hand-forearm anthropometric dimensions. A cross-sectional study was designed in which 720 certified dentists (330 males and 390 females) voluntarily participated in the study. A tape measure (±0.

Analysis of hand-forearm anthropometric components in assessing handgrip and pinch strengths of school-aged children and adolescents: a partial least squares (PLS) approach.

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of hand-forearm anthropometric dimensions on handgrip and pinch strengths among 7-18 years children and adolescents and to investigate the extent to which these variables can be used to predict hand strength.

Methods: Four types of hand strengths including handgrip, tip to tip, key, and three-jaw chuck pinches were measured in 2637 healthy children and adolescents (1391 boys and 1246 girls) aged 7-18 years using standard adjustable Jamar hydraulic hand dynamometer and pinch gauge. A set of 17 hand-forearm anthropometric dimensions were also measured with an accurate digital caliper and tape measure.

Anthropometric Estimations for Iranian General Population.

Background: An essential requirement exists for a single exhaustive source of anthropometric databank in Iran. Available information about Iranian bodily dimensions is not applicable to the general population due to the sample of people investigated. This study aimed to present the first Iranian anthropometric databank by estimation.

Guessability of U.S. pharmaceutical pictograms in Iranian prospective users.

Objective: This study examined the gueassability of US pharmaceutical pictograms as well as associated demographic factors and cognitive design features among Iranian adults.

Methods: A total of 400 participants requested to guess the meaning of 53 US pharmaceutical pictograms using the open-ended method. Moreover, the participants were asked to rate the cognitive design features of each pictorial in terms of familiarity, concreteness, simplicity, meaningfulness and semantic closeness on a scale of 0-100.

Maximum handgrip strength as a function of type of work and hand-forearm dimensions.

Background: Handgrip strength is a measurement of upper extremity functionality and an indicator of overall physical ability.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to compare maximum handgrip strength (MGS) between manual workers and office employees and to investigate if the expected difference is related to the anthropometric dimensions of the workers' hands and forearms.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with a sample of 1740 male workers (905 light manual workers; and 835 office employees), aged 20-64 years.

Development and validation of a new scale for prediction of low back pain occurrence among nurses.

There are several scales for prediction of low back pain (LBP) occurrence, but most of them only consider occupational aspect. This study aimed to develop and validate a new biopsychosocial scale for the LBP prediction among nurses. In this mixed-method study, a scale was developed by integrating the findings from the literature review and the semi-structured interviews.

Normative hand grip strength and prediction models for Iranian office employees.

Background: Normative data on Hand grip strength has a wide range of application and is of great value.

Objective: To establish gender and age-specific reference data concerning hand grip strength of Iranian office workers, to explore possible relationships with demographic and anthropometric factors and to develop appropriate predictive models.

Methods: The study population included 418 (220 males and 198 females) Iranian office employees.

A prospective study of psychomotor performance of driving among two kinds of shift work in Iran.

Background And Aim: Driving after a night shift imposes a risk on health care professionals and other road users. The aim of this study was to measure psychomotor performance of driving of night shift nurses compared to day-shift nurses.

Methods: Forty-seven volunteer female nurses working at Sina hospital in Tehran, Iran, with a call in all departments of hospital, participated in this study (23 night shift and 24 day shift nurses) in 2016.

Demographic and occupational determinants of the work ability of firemen.

Objectives: Firefighters tackle various stressors that affect their health and job performance; therefore, assessment of their work ability is necessary. This study aimed to investigate the demographic and occupational determinants of the work ability of firemen.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 375 firemen working in Tehran Fire Department were randomly selected.

Influence of traffic-related noise and air pollution on self-reported fatigue.

A growing body of evidence suggests that exposure to environmental pollutions is related to health problems. It is, however, questionable whether this condition affects working performance in occupational settings. The aim of this study is to determine the predictive value of age as well as traffic related air and noise pollutions for fatigue.

Evaluation of Iranian microbiology laboratories for identification of etiologic agents of bacterial meningitidis. Survey results of an external quality assessment scheme (EQAS) programme.

Objective: To determine the ability of Iranian microbiology laboratories for identification and susceptibility testing of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae as causative agents of bacterial meningitides.

Methods: Two strains of bacteria including Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae as a common causative agents of meningitides were chosen and coded as strain number 1 and number 2. The strains were distributed among 679 microbiology laboratories.

Cardiovascular responses to railway noise during sleep in young and middle-aged adults.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of nocturnal railway noise on cardiovascular reactivity in young (25.8 +/- 2.6 years) and middle-aged (52.

Combined effects of noise and shift work on fatigue as a function of age.

The study was conducted to analyse possible interactions between noise and shift work, and fatigue as a function of age. In a large questionnaire survey, we assessed personal and environmental risk factors related to fatigue. Noise exposure at work (L(Aeq, 8hr)) was measured with personal noise dosimetry.

Evaluation of a new CHROMagar medium for detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Four laboratory methods including, E-test MIC, Oxacillin screen agar, manitol salt agar plus oxacillin and CHROMagar MRSA were compared for detection of methicilin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). CHROMagar MRSA had a high sensitivity and specificity comparing to conventional E-test method. Sensitivity and specificity by manitol salt agar was 95 and 100%, respectively, while oxacillin screening agar method had 100% sensitivity and 95% specificity.

Effects of nocturnal railway noise on sleep fragmentation in young and middle-aged subjects as a function of type of train and sound level.

Due to undisputable effects of noise on sleep structure, especially in terms of sleep fragmentation, the expected development of railway transportation in the next few years might represent a potential risk factor for people living alongside the rail tracks. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of different types of train (freight, automotive, passenger) on arousal from sleep and to determine any differential impact as a function of sound level and age. Twenty young (16 women, 4 men; 25.