Different aesthetic preferences between designers and laypersons can be a problem in designing a building. User satisfaction is one of the main problems for the architect, which can be caused by differences in the cognitive and physical bases of opinions between architects and laypersons. An important factor for architects is to understand how laypersons would judge different physical cues that are aesthetically used in building façades. This study aims to identify the different cognitive properties between architects and laypersons. Previous studies have concentrated on conceptual properties, instead of cognitive properties of buildings. Although few studies have been concentrating on what might be called formal aesthetics, none of them focused on residential apartment façades. This study attempts to identify the differences between architects and laypersons in terms of aesthetic evaluation of building façade using quantitative survey. As a result, it can be concluded that although there are differences between architects and non-architects in aesthetics evaluation, both groups have scored certain similar physical cues. Findings of this research could help architects to form a better understanding of what laypersons would prefer in their ideal design.

In recent years, through a national programme for schistosomiasis control, this infection has been eliminated from Iran. The aim of this study was to report the process of significant decrease of urogenital schistosomiasis in southwestern Iran. During national programme surveillance for urogenital schistosomiasis control which was implemented by Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of Khuzestan province from 1975 to 2013, more than 1·3 million urine samples were taken from inhabitants of high risk foci. All urine samples were gathered between 10:00 a.m and 02:00 p.m and, after centrifuging, specimens were tested under optical microscope in order to detect Schistosoma haematobium eggs. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 18 software. In this retrospective study significant reduction was seen in number of infections between 1975 and 2013. During the years 1975-1980, 1981-1990 and 1991-2000 there were 1582, 761 and 79 cases of S. haematobium, respectively. In 2001 only one case was reported from Ahvaz and indeed this was the last case of urogenital schistosomiasis in Khuzestan and of course, in Iran. Prevalence from 1·064% between 1975 and 1980 slumped to 0% in 2012-2013. During several projects for surveillance of urogenital schistosomiasis, selective population chemotherapy, snail control, population education, environmental improvement, etc were carried out throughout the surveillance period. According to elimination of S. haematobium in Khuzestan province, the only endemic region of Iran, control of disease, especially the campaign with intermediate host snails should be continued. Iran can be a successful model for countries suffering from this disease.

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