Nurse Rostering Problem Considering Drect andIndirect Costs: Deferential Evolution Algorithm

The employee scheduling seeks to find an optimal schedule for employees according to the amount of demand (workload), employee availability, labor law, employment contracts, etc. The importance of this problem in improving the quality of service, health and satisfaction of employees and reducing costs, including in hospitals, military or service centers, has encouraged researchers to study. In this regard, nurse rostering problem is a scheduling that determines the number of nurses required with different skills and the time of their services on the planning horizon. In this research, by adding the nurses' shift preferences and number of consecutive working days constraints, an attempt has been made to make the problem more realistic. The objective function of the problem is to minimize the total cost of allocating work shifts to nurses, the cost of the number of nurses required to reserve, the cost of overtime from a particular shift, the cost of underemployment from a particular shift, the cost of overtime on the planning horizon, the cost of underemployment on the planning horizon and the cost of absence shift-working and non-working days preferred by nurses. To solve problem, after modeling the problem as a mixed-nteger program and due to the complexity of the problem, the differential evolutionary algorithm is used with innovation in its crossover operator. To validate the proposed algorithm, its output was compared with the genetic algorithm. The results show that the differential evolutionary algorithm has good performance in problem-solving.Keywords: Nurse Rostering Problem, Deferential Evolution Algorith

THE MICROFACIES, SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY AND GENESIS OF THE UPPER DEVONIAN PHOSPHORITES IN THE NORTH OF KERMAN, SE IRAN

This research focuses on the microfacies, sequence stratigraphy and genesis of the upper Devonian phosphate-rich deposits in the Kerman province, SE Iran. These deposits are investigated in the Sarashk and Hutk sections, which are the most complete upper Devonian strata in the studied area. This region was located on the northern coast of the Gondwanaland during the Devonian. Detailed sampling and sedimentological analyses indicate that the studied successions consist of limestone, shale and sandstone lithofacies. The limestone lithofacies includes 12 microfacies and the shale and sandstone lithofacies include two microfacies. Based on the microfacies analysis, five sedimentary sequences are distinguished in each section. The microfacies analyses suggest a mixed carbonate-siliciclastic ramp sedimentary environment. Based on the sequence stratigraphic settings, the phosphorite layers are divided into three types, the first involves lumachella strata and was deposited in transgressive system tract settings; the second was deposited in the high stand system tract and maximum flooding surface settings and the third includes the basal parts of the falling stage system tract setting. The first phosphorite type seems to be a direct result of upwelling currents and blooms in continental shelf deviling creatures, especially brachiopods and fishes. The second, and the most commercially qualified, type formed as an indirect result of upwelling currents and subsequent toxic waters, high mortality and rise of Oxygen Minimum Zone. The third type was a result of post deposition burial digenesis and cementation processes

An investigation on cognitive and behavioural effects of donepezil on autistic children in Winter 2020 in Gorgan Taleghani pediatric hospital

ObjectivesThe present investigation has been done to study the behavioraleffects of donepezil in autistic children, given that not much researchhas been carried out concerning using this drug for treating autism. Materials & MethodsA cross-sectional and analytic-descriptive study was done on twentypatients with autism, aged 4-17, who visited the neurology clinic of Gorgan’s Taleghani Pediatric Hospital and Yasha Pediatric Autism Clinic, Iran from 2019 to 2020. Demographic information, including sex, age, father’s education, mother’s education ,patient’s education, family status, other problems, and ethnicity, were documented using a checklist, having been filled in during interviews with the parents. Before the trial, ABC cognitive and behavioral tests were taken to determine the children’s current status. After the tests, these children received a daily dose of donepezil (10mg) before sleep for three months. At the end of the three months, the cognitive and behavioral tests were taken from the children once again. In order to analyze the effects of different factors on the studied variables, including irritability, lethargy, stereotypic behavior, hyperactivity, and inappropriate speech before and after the administration of donepezil in patients, a generalized linear model and to test the effects of donepezil on the studied variables, paired t-test was used. ResultsIn this study, twenty patients were registered for the investigation, 12 (60%) male and eight (40%) female. Age groups 5-6 had the highest frequency, and age group 17 had the lowest. Regardingthe parents’ education, the highest frequency was for bachelor’s degrees, and the lowest was for less-than-high school education and master’s degree. The highest frequency for the patients’ education was kindergarten (60%), and then groups without education (20%) and elementary school-level education (15%). Most of the studied patients (80%) did not have other problems besides autism, and only 20% had other problems besides autism. The family status of 15% of the families was ‘separated,’ and ethnically, most patients (80%) were Fars, while the rest (20%) were Turkmen. None of the analyzed factors (age, sex, father’s education, mother’s education, patient’s education, other problems, family status, and ethnicity) had a significant effect on the studied variables after the administration of donepezil. Among the studied variables prior to the administration of donepezil and among the analyzed factors, the father’s education, the patient’s education, other problems, and family status had only a significant effect on stereotypic behavior. The present research findings of the present research indicated that all the studied variables, including irritability, lethargy, stereotypic behavior, hyperactivity, and inappropriate speech, were significantly decreased toward the desired goal. The decreased amounts in irritability, lethargy, stereotypic behavior, hyperactivity, and inappropriate speech after the administration of donepezil were, respectively, 38%, 44%, 54%, 41%, and 54% and on average, these behaviors were reduced by 46%. ConclusionThe present investigation has shown that all the studied variables, including irritability, lethargy, stereotypic behavior, hyperactivity, and inappropriate speech, were significantly decreased towards the desired goal by 46%. This significant decrease is indicative of the effectiveness of the treatment of autism patients with donepezil, and therefore, this drug can be placed as a prominent and essential part of the medical therapy of autism. &nbsp

Effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on autistic behaviors and GRIN2B gene expression in valproic acid-exposed rats

IntroductionAutism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition characterized by deficits in social interaction, communication, and restricted repetitive behaviors. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has emerged as a potential treatment for autism, although its effects on behavior and gene expression are not well understood. The GRIN2B gene, known for its involvement in encoding a glutamate receptor subunit crucial for neuron communication and associated with autism, was a focus of this study.MethodsUsing a rat model induced by prenatal exposure to valproic acid, we examined the impact of HBOT on autism-like behaviors and GRIN2B gene expression. Male Wistar rats were categorized into four groups: control, VPA (valproic acid-exposed), VPA+HBOT [2 atmosphere absolute (ATA)], and VPA+HBOT (2.5 ATA). The rats underwent several behavioral tests to assess social behavior, anxiety, stereotype and exploratory behaviors, and learning. Following the behavioral tests, the HBOT groups received 15 sessions of HBOT at pressures of 2 and 2.5 (ATA), and their behaviors were re-evaluated. Subsequently, real-time PCR was employed to measure GRIN2B gene expression in the frontal lobe.ResultsOur results indicated that HBOT significantly increased social interaction and exploratory behaviors in VPA-exposed rats, alongside elevated GRIN2B gene expression in their frontal lobe.DiscussionOur findings imply that HBOT might have a potential role in ameliorating autism-related behaviors in the VPA rat model of autism through potential modulation of GRIN2B gene expression. However, additional research is essential to fully comprehend the underlying mechanisms and refine the HBOT protocol for optimizing its effectiveness in improving autism-related symptoms

Global burden and strength of evidence for 88 risk factors in 204 countries and 811 subnational locations, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Background: Understanding the health consequences associated with exposure to risk factors is necessary to inform public health policy and practice. To systematically quantify the contributions of risk factor exposures to specific health outcomes, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 aims to provide comprehensive estimates of exposure levels, relative health risks, and attributable burden of disease for 88 risk factors in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, from 1990 to 2021. Methods: The GBD 2021 risk factor analysis used data from 54 561 total distinct sources to produce epidemiological estimates for 88 risk factors and their associated health outcomes for a total of 631 risk–outcome pairs. Pairs were included on the basis of data-driven determination of a risk–outcome association. Age-sex-location-year-specific estimates were generated at global, regional, and national levels. Our approach followed the comparative risk assessment framework predicated on a causal web of hierarchically organised, potentially combinative, modifiable risks. Relative risks (RRs) of a given outcome occurring as a function of risk factor exposure were estimated separately for each risk–outcome pair, and summary exposure values (SEVs), representing risk-weighted exposure prevalence, and theoretical minimum risk exposure levels (TMRELs) were estimated for each risk factor. These estimates were used to calculate the population attributable fraction (PAF; ie, the proportional change in health risk that would occur if exposure to a risk factor were reduced to the TMREL). The product of PAFs and disease burden associated with a given outcome, measured in disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), yielded measures of attributable burden (ie, the proportion of total disease burden attributable to a particular risk factor or combination of risk factors). Adjustments for mediation were applied to account for relationships involving risk factors that act indirectly on outcomes via intermediate risks. Attributable burden estimates were stratified by Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintile and presented as counts, age-standardised rates, and rankings. To complement estimates of RR and attributable burden, newly developed burden of proof risk function (BPRF) methods were applied to yield supplementary, conservative interpretations of risk–outcome associations based on the consistency of underlying evidence, accounting for unexplained heterogeneity between input data from different studies. Estimates reported represent the mean value across 500 draws from the estimate's distribution, with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) calculated as the 2·5th and 97·5th percentile values across the draws. Findings: Among the specific risk factors analysed for this study, particulate matter air pollution was the leading contributor to the global disease burden in 2021, contributing 8·0% (95% UI 6·7–9·4) of total DALYs, followed by high systolic blood pressure (SBP; 7·8% [6·4–9·2]), smoking (5·7% [4·7–6·8]), low birthweight and short gestation (5·6% [4·8–6·3]), and high fasting plasma glucose (FPG; 5·4% [4·8–6·0]). For younger demographics (ie, those aged 0–4 years and 5–14 years), risks such as low birthweight and short gestation and unsafe water, sanitation, and handwashing (WaSH) were among the leading risk factors, while for older age groups, metabolic risks such as high SBP, high body-mass index (BMI), high FPG, and high LDL cholesterol had a greater impact. From 2000 to 2021, there was an observable shift in global health challenges, marked by a decline in the number of all-age DALYs broadly attributable to behavioural risks (decrease of 20·7% [13·9–27·7]) and environmental and occupational risks (decrease of 22·0% [15·5–28·8]), coupled with a 49·4% (42·3–56·9) increase in DALYs attributable to metabolic risks, all reflecting ageing populations and changing lifestyles on a global scale. Age-standardised global DALY rates attributable to high BMI and high FPG rose considerably (15·7% [9·9–21·7] for high BMI and 7·9% [3·3–12·9] for high FPG) over this period, with exposure to these risks increasing annually at rates of 1·8% (1·6–1·9) for high BMI and 1·3% (1·1–1·5) for high FPG. By contrast, the global risk-attributable burden and exposure to many other risk factors declined, notably for risks such as child growth failure and unsafe water source, with age-standardised attributable DALYs decreasing by 71·5% (64·4–78·8) for child growth failure and 66·3% (60·2–72·0) for unsafe water source. We separated risk factors into three groups according to trajectory over time: those with a decreasing attributable burden, due largely to declining risk exposure (eg, diet high in trans-fat and household air pollution) but also to proportionally smaller child and youth populations (eg, child and maternal malnutrition); those for which the burden increased moderately in spite of declining risk exposure, due largely to population ageing (eg, smoking); and those for which the burden increased considerably due to both increasing risk exposure and population ageing (eg, ambient particulate matter air pollution, high BMI, high FPG, and high SBP). Interpretation: Substantial progress has been made in reducing the global disease burden attributable to a range of risk factors, particularly those related to maternal and child health, WaSH, and household air pollution. Maintaining efforts to minimise the impact of these risk factors, especially in low SDI locations, is necessary to sustain progress. Successes in moderating the smoking-related burden by reducing risk exposure highlight the need to advance policies that reduce exposure to other leading risk factors such as ambient particulate matter air pollution and high SBP. Troubling increases in high FPG, high BMI, and other risk factors related to obesity and metabolic syndrome indicate an urgent need to identify and implement interventions

Miocene Argonautidae (Octopoda) from the Persian Gulf area and their palaeogeographic distribution

Cephalopod specimens assigned to the Argonautidae (Obinautilus pulchra Kobayashi, 1954 and an unknown taxon) from two localities of the Mishan Formation in Gohreh and Khorgu sections, Bandar Abbas, southern Iran, are reported for the first time from the Persian Gulf area. The co-existing foraminifera confirm the middle Miocene age of the strata. Based on micropalaeontological data, the previous Oligocene age of Obinautilus pulchra is extended to the middle Miocene. The palaeobiogeographic distribution of the reported Argonautidae shows that the presence of these faunas is limited to the West Pacific, Indo-Pacific and the East Pacific. The present-day distribution of the Argonautidae is similar to the ancient one and seems to be inherited from their ancestors

The effects of planting method and date on the density and damage of sugar beet pests in Hamedan, Iran

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) is a strategic agricultural product in Iran, meanwhile several pests cause damage to the crop and reduce its yield. Sowing dates and planting methods might have influence on the pest population and damages. Thus, current research was carried out for studying the planting methods and date of sugar beet sowing under field conditions. The treatments were 1) sowing direct seed (SDG1 = on time-planted in April 24th, SDG2 = delay time-planted sugar beets in June 12th), 2) planting seedling (SDG3 = June 11th). The observations for record of data were carried out at weekly intervals from germination stage or establishment of seedling up to maturity in August 27th. Results revealed that the mean injuries of pest insects especially Agrotis segetum Schiff.; Chaetocnema tibialis Illiger; Conorhynchus brevirostris Gyllenhal; Spodoptera exigua Hübner and Scorbipalpa ocellatella Boyd. were significantly different in various sowing date and methods. The incidence of these pests was relatively low during the first season than the second one. The cultivation of transplanting seedling could significantly reduce the density of the pest insects and decrease crop injury rather than others. Overall, due to the annual increasing of the temperature as global warming and thus increasing insect pests and use of pesticides; transplanting seedling could use as a non-chemical method in management of sugar beet pest insects