HIV/AIDS-related stigma can affect the diagnosis, treatment and the prevalence of HIV. Health providers' stigma can be fatal in this regard. In this study, we have tried to explore the perceptions of health providers' stigma against HIV/AIDS among HIV-affected women. Here we applied a phenomenography approach. Samples were selected purposively from the behavioural disorders clinic and HIV positive club of Iranian Research Centre for HIV/AIDS (HPC). In-depth interviews were conducted for at least one hour with 14 healthcare providers (HCP), 14 women living with HIV and 7 family members. Data collections and analysis were conducted at the same time using a seven-step Sjstrm process. Women experienced health providers' stigma in two contexts: i-Professional Level (ethics, relations and duties); ii-Institutional Level (support, education/research, monitoring and services). Wefound lack of communication skills and professional ethics. To remove stigma, we need to evaluate, modify and design various organisational programs with its relevant applications .

The association of learning and study strategies on academic performance and students' academic years, across the two years enrollment of health science undergraduate learners (n=130) is evaluated. A cross-sectional study design utilizing validated questionnaire was used to evaluate the test anxiety, academic competence, test competence, strategic studying and time management factors on academic performance. Data analysis was done in terms of descriptive and inferential statistics. Result revealed that strategic studying and academic performance was signif icantly associated when assessed across the two years of students' enrolment. Accordingly, the second-year students validated better study strategies skills (3.570.2) as compared to the f irst-year students (2.920.2), a statistically signif icant difference (r = .231, p<0.009). On the other hand, no signif icant relationship was concluded between academic performance of students with test anxiety, test competence, academic competence and time management. In addition, students with good academic performance have better control of academic competence, test competence, time management and test anxiety. Conclusively, with raising the age and maturity, the health science students transform them to exhibit strategic studying in order to perform better in their academics. It could be suggested that efforts should be geared towards different types of assessment in learning and strategic studying that may have an impact on improved academic performance.

The objective of the study was to classify the caves in the Andaman Islands, on the basis of their existence, rock layer type, cave size, cave openings (number, size, and shape) and the presence of light zones inside. All the 314 caves visited on 27 Islands were of limestone, dominated by Archipelago and Flysch group of rock layers. More than 60% caves are of small size, located in inland forests, below the ground, which lead to downward length from the opening. Around 86% caves had a single opening. We found the cave size varied with the rock layer type, vegetation type and a number of openings. Multiple regression models with different variables showed the type of rock layer as the most influencing factordeciding the cave size in the Islands. This exploratory work, as a baseline study, is a further addition to the knowledge on the scarcely studied hypogene caves in the Andaman Islands.

Vitamin D def iciency is a worldwide public health problem and is recognized as a pandemic in the recent years. This cross-sectional study was conducted on a total sample of 354 students to determine the prevalence of 'Vitamin D' def iciency and its relationship with obesity among Iranian students. Data was collected using the measurement of circulating form of 25-hydroxy Vitamin D [25(OH) D] and Body Mass Index (BMI) which were further analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics via the SPSS18 software. No signif icant relationship between the circulating level of vitamin D and BMI was evidenced. Only 15% of female students who had a Vitamin D def iciency, were overweight and obese, but the same frame 28.9% of the male students. Further, the prevalence of Vitamin D def iciency was signif icantly higher in the male students rather than females. Conclusively, the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Vitamin D def iciency must be important in this age group. Since no statistically signif icant relationship was found between Vitamin D def iciency and obesity, further studies are suggested to investigate this association, especially in obese people.

This study was to evaluate the performance of human resources in high-technology industries using DEMATEL and process network analysis phase. The research methodology was based on a descriptive type of data collection. The subjects of the study comprised of all employees (8887 persons) woking in Iran Air (HOMA). Total, 365 questionnaires were collected from staffs which were analyzed to evaluate the performance of employees where the integration of ANP-DEMATEL indicators was prioritized.

The generation of quasi-random numbers is one of the most important problems in the Monte Carlo method. In this paper, the author introduces a simple and fast algorithm to generate a new class of systematic numbers. An ideal case in which one can apply these numbers is the Monte Carlo integration.