زهرا حجت زاده

Zooarchaeology shares close ties with Comparative Anatomy of Veterinary Medicine. This scientific discipline involves the study of the bones of various animals, using anatomical information to explore the place and role of these animal species in life and human survival, thereby enriching our knowledge about the interaction of humans and their ecosystems. 

Using available anatomical information, this study investigated the typology of bone remains and animal teeth in the area of Qareh Tepe, Segzabad (Qazvin Province, Iran). Another goal was to detect the abnormal effects created by humans or animals in bones, such as cuts, burns, or chewing effects by carnivorous animals. By extracting this information, it is possible to analyze the livelihood economy of that historical site correctly.

A total of 1110 bone and teeth samples excavated in 2017 were analyzed. The samples were transferred to the Osteology Lab of the Anatomy Department of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran City, Iran. Anatomical studies were conducted in several stages based on the excavated samples. 

Among the detected animal samples, the highest percentage (30.09%) was related to sheep samples, and then the samples of small ruminants (26.94%) (which could not be separated). The percentages of gazelle, Asian water buffalo, wild boar, and chicken were trivial and less than 1%. In this study, abnormal symptoms were detected in the phalanges of the Caspian horse.

One of the remarkable points about the small ruminant samples separated at the species level in this study is that the number of sheep samples detected surpassed that of goats. It seems that the conditions for keeping sheep were more suitable. The number of Perissodactyla, especially horses, shows a significant increase compared to the Neolithic periods and the beginning of the complexity of Iron Age I technology. This finding indicates the use of horses and donkeys in agriculture and transportation activities.

Diabetes is the most common disease caused by metabolic disorders. Diabetes disrupts the regular flow of life and affects individuals’ Quality of Life in various dimensions. Some interventions based on cognitive behavioral therapy  have been used to improve the QoL of patients with diabetes. This study aimed to systematically review the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in terms of improving the QoL of diabetic patients in Iran.

External (Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science) and internal (SID, Magiran) databases were searched from the inception to February 2023. Cognitive behavioral interventions were compared with pre-test and post-test design and usual care control group or other psychosocial interventions. The standardized mean difference effect was calculated using a random effects model with 95% confidence. The risk of bias was assessed according to Cochrane(Rob). Data was analyzed using RewMan-5 software.

A total of 14 studies involving 444 diabetes patients were included in this study. At the first stage of the search, 504 articles were obtained. After reviewing the title and abstract of the articles, 465 articles were excluded due to being irrelevant and repetitive and 39 articles remained. Finally, 14 studies were selected by reviewing the abstracts of the articles and considering the inclusion criteria. Compared to the control group, the standardized mean difference for the effect of CBT on QoL in posttest was high (SMD = 1.06, 95% CI = [0.63, 1.48]) was obtained; The standard mean difference for the effect of CBT on quality of life in the follow-up phase was also moderate and equal to(SMD = 0.66, 95% CI = [0.34, 0.98]). The heterogeneity between the results of the studies was high (76%). Most of the studies had an unclear risk of bias. Despite publication bias, only one study had a high error and less accuracy than the rest of the studies.

This study shows promising results regarding the effects of psychological interventions on QoL, especially on CBT-based interventions. Screening patients with diabetes for mental health comorbidities and referring to a mental health specialist in the context of a multidisciplinary approach should be a priority.