Improving participation in voluntary activities in Iran is important because increasing productivity among young people, given the country's young population, contributes to community sustainability. Therefore, a better understanding of volunteer motivation in Iranian youth is needed. The Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI) for assessing volunteer motivations has good psychometric properties and is adapted to several languages, but no validated Iranian translation yet exists. The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric CHARACTERISTICS of voluntary functions inventory in members of Iranian Red Crescent Society. Sample size was 595 members of Youth Organization of Iranian Red Crescent Society from 31 provinces and 175 cities of Iran that were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method and responded to voluntary functions inventory. Data were collected using a demographic sample and voluntary functions inventory (VFI). Confirmatory factor analysis using principal components method was used for data analysis. The results of the present study showed that the voluntary functions inventory had validity and reliability. Also, the factor structure showed that 29 items and 6 factors well assess people's attitudes to volunteering, and the structure of this inventory was well-fitted and confirmed all goodness of fit models. The present study provides the use of the Iranian translation of the Voluntary Functions Inventory (6 scales and 29 items) to assess volunteer motivation among young Iranian volunteers.

Background and Aim: Job enrichment is a method that has been used to increase employee satisfaction and work motivation. The Hackman and Oldham job CHARACTERISTICS model (1976) has served as the foundation for many job enrichment efforts. In particular, a considerable amount of research has been devoted to the study of the job CHARACTERISTICS-job satisfaction relations. Te purpose of this study was to statistically determine the relation between job CHARACTERISTICS and job satisfaction among employees of hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) in 2007. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional one, including 6 TUMS-affiliated hospitals-Emam, Shariati, Baharlo, Ziaeian, Madaen and Azadi. The sample size was 400, consisting of 200 administrative employees (50%), 151 nurses (38%) and 49 physicians (12%). The random sampling and stratified proportional sampling methods were used to select the hospitals and interviewees, respectively. Two questionnaires were developed and used to identify job CHARACTERISTICS and job satisfaction: 1) job diagnostics surveys (JDS) and 2) Hertzberg's job satisfaction questionnaire. The reliability of the questionnaires was ascertained by test-retest using the Pearson correlation coefficient (r = 0.88). Linear-by-linear association and ordinal logistics regression analysis were used for analyzing the data gathered.Results:The relations between the Motivational Potential Score (MPS) and job CHARACTERISTICS (except for feedback) with job satisfaction were statistically significant (p<0.05). Task identity was the most effective determinant of job satisfaction. Conclusion: It appears that all the job CHARACTERISTICS (except feedback) are important determinants of job satisfaction of the hospital employees. Although the work environment is in need of restructuring, it is important to note, from a positive perspective, that the job CHARACTERISTICS discussed in this study are readily amenable to change job satisfaction at the organizational level.

Background and aim: Vitiligo is an acquired idiopathic hypomelanotic disease. The purpose of this study was to review CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS of vitiligo and their significance in the progression of vitiligo.Materials and methods: Eight hundreds and sixteen cases of vitiligo were studied from February 2005 to October 2006. All of the patients were referred to dermatology clinics in Kerman city. Questionnaires were completed regarding progression, sex, family history, CLINICAL type, age at onset, site of lesions, duration of disease, Koebner phenomenon, leukotrichia, and mucosal involvement.Results: Six hundreds and seven patients (74.39%) showed progression of disease and 209 patients (25.61%) did not show progression. There was no significant difference between the two groups in regard to sex, age at onset, leukotrichia, positive family history or longer duration; however, in patients with non-segmental CLINICAL type, Koebner phenomenon and mucous membrane involvement indicated more progressive course of vitiligo (p<0.05).Conclusion: The progression or prognosis of vitiligo may be related to CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS such as CLINICAL type, Koebner phenomenon, and mucous membrance involvement.

 Background: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a self-perpetuating hepatocellular inflammation of unknown cause. It is characterized by the presence of interface hepatitis on histologic examination, hyper gammaglobulinemia, and autoantibodies in serum. This study was performed to determine CLINICAL and laboratory profile of AIH in Iran.Methods and Materials: The medical records of patients with AIH from 4 gastroenterology clinics in Tehran were retrospectively reviewed from September 1988 to May 2003. Forty-six patients with AIH whose medical records were complete were selected for final review. Results: Of the 46 patients, 38 (82%) were female. The median age at presentation was 24 years. All patients fell into the category of AIH type-I. Seventeen percent had associated autoimmune diseases with diabetes type-I and autoimmune hemolytic disease being more common. The onset was acute in 5% and chronic in 87% with the remaining 8% being asymptomatic. The most common symptoms were icterus (59%) and fatigue (33%) and the most common signs were splenomegaly (33%) and hepatomegaly (30%). In all cases, HBV and HCV serum markers were negative and serum levels of ferritin and copper were within normal limits. High serum levels of AST, total billirubin and alkaline phosphatase were detected in 93%, 39% and 74%, respectively while hyper gammaglobulinemia was found in 67%. SMA, ANA, PANCA and AMA were positive in 50%, 37%, 4% and 13%, respectively.Conclusions: AIH type-I is more common in Iran than in the United States and Europe and other types are seen rarely. Younger age at presentation, less frequent acute onset disease and lower rate of autoantibody positivity and hyper gammaglobulinemia may merit attention.    

Evaluating the cutting rate (CR) of stones is important in the cost estimation and the planning of the stone processing plants. This research used regression models to estimate the stones’ CR based on their physico-mechanical CHARACTERISTICS. Stone processing factories in Mahallat City (Markazi province, Iran) were visited, and the CR of diamond circular saws was recorded on six different travertine stones. Next, the stone block samples were collected from the quarries for laboratory tests. Stones’ porosity (n), uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), and Schmidt hammer hardness (SH) were determined in the laboratory as their physico-mechanical CHARACTERISTICS. Correlation relationships of CR with physico-mechanical CHARACTERISTICS were evaluated using simple and multiple regression analyses, and estimator models were developed. Results showed that multiple regression models are more reliable than simple regression for estimating the stones’ CR. The validity of the developed multiple regression models was verified with the published data of one researcher. The findings indicated that these models are accurate enough for estimating the CR of stones. Consequently, the multiple regression models provide practical advantages for estimating the CR and save time and cost during the planning and design of the stone processing factories.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a severe complication of pregnancy accompanied by arterial hypertension, edema, or proteinuria with impaired functioning of various organs and systems. It is also an important medical and social problem, which has been one of the leading causes of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity worldwide. Despite the achievements of modern medicine, the etiology of this pathology is still unknown. Recently, many scientists have especially focused on the study of genetic factors underlying the etiopathogenesis of PE, namely, the contribution of individual polymorphic loci of various candidate genes. The current study aimed to investigate the CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS of PE and the contribution of the polymorphic loci rs1042838 of Progesterone Receptor (PGR) gene and rs8068318 of the T-Box Transcription Factor 2 (TBX2) gene to the development of PE. The study was conducted on 219 women with PE with the mean±, SD age of 26. 52±, 5. 51 years and 329 women with the physiological course of pregnancy as the control group with the mean±, SD age of 26. 27±, 4. 88 years. In total, 64. 20%, 68. 29%, 16. 44%, 98. 63%, and 35. 48% of women with PE had increased systolic and normal diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) values, proteinuria, edema, and overweight (BMI≥, 25), respectively. In the control group, 100%, 1. 53%, 1. 12%, and 35. 48% of cases had normal SBP values with no proteinuria, DBP, 90 mm Hg, edema, and overweight (BMI≥, 25), respectively. An association was observed between the CC genotype of the rs8068318 polymorphism of the TBX2 gene with the risk of developing PE in women with PE (OR=2. 12, 95%CI: 1. 14-3. 92, P=0. 02). In addition, there was an association between the rs8068318 TBX2 polymorphic locus with lower SBP (Me=140, Q25 –,Q75 130 –,142. 5, P=0. 01) and PBP (Me=50, Q25 –,Q75 40 –,55, P, 0. 01). According to the GeneCards database, the TBX2 gene, a member of a phylogenetically conserved gene family, is located on the long arm of chromosome 17 and encodes the TBX2 T-box transcription factor protein, which is a regulator of the transcriptional activity of various genes (i. e., it suppresses the expression of CDKN2A (p19/ARF), inhibits cyclin-dependent kinase p21 Cip1 (CDKN1A), and affects the expression of MYC, RAS, BRCA1, and BRCA2 genes).

Conduct disorder is a general psychiatric classification encompassing a variety of behavior patterns in which the individual repetitively and persistently violates the rights, privilages and privacy of others. For these children and adolescents, the authority figures like parents and teachers are assumed as intervening and punishing individuals. Some of these patients are diagnosed as having attention deficit or hyperactivity. Conduct disorder may be concomitant with one or several other disorders such as mood disorders, substance abuse, learning and emotional disorders. The probability of conduct disorder in children with biological or non biological parents having antisocial personality,and or have siblings with behavioral and communication disorders, is more than normal people. Also for children with alcoholic, mood disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, psychosis and conduct disorder parents, the probability of having the symptoms is higher than children with normal parents.