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Background and purpose:Researches in the field of positive and negative affect have shown mixed results. While some have argued that positive and negative affects are two ends of a single construct, others suggested that these two concepts are independent from each other. Previous studies also support the idea that negative affect had a positive relationship with pain. According to theoretical frameworks, the aim of current research was to investigate the role of positive affect in the relationship between stress and pain, and negative affect in women with chronic pain, and possible implications of positive affect as an important psychological resource that a patient may use for coping efforts during periods of pain.
Materials and methods:104 women in textile and carpet weaving industry suffering from osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia were participated in the survey and completed the initial assessments for demographic data and personality characteristics. They subsequently completed 10 to 12 weekly interviews regarding pain, stress, negative and positive affect. After completion of the survey using cross sectional method, data were analyzed via hierarchical multilevel modeling.
Results:Findings showed that weekly increases in pain and stress could predict negative affect elevations. Higher weekly positive affect as well as higher average positive affect, weather directly and indirectly in interaction with pain and stress, resulted in lower levels of negative affect. In addition, increases in weekly negative affect and higher average negative affect, related to greater levels of pain in subsequent weeks. In contrast, higher levels of overall positive affect predicted lower levels of pain in subsequent weeks.
Conclusion:The current study emphasized that when individuals encounter pain or stress, positive and negative affects are not independent and therefore showed important role of positive affect in reducing negative affect related to pain and stress, which could be helpful for patients to bear pain and reducing the resulted tension.

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Background and purpose: Positive and negative affects are described as oscillating reactions constantly influenced by thinking style and cognition. This issue is believed to be one of the concerns of researchers in the field of health in recent years. Different studies emphasize the correlation of these affects with pain and believe that individual differences play an important role. The aim of this survey is to investigate the relationship between positive and negative affect with pain in women with rheumatoid arthritis according to the existing theoretical frameworks. Moreover, this study investigates the impacts of individual differences on mood clarity and its relationship with affects. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 194 women suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. They participated in initial assessments regarding demographic variables. Then they were interviewed during 12 to 20 weeks. Weekly assessments on pain, mood clarity and evaluation of positive and negative affects were done. Afterwards, the data was analyzed using hierarchical multilevel modeling. Results: Results of this study showed that when there was a positive affect a significant reduction was found for the relationship between pain and negative affect (P<0.01). Interaction between pain and positive affect predicted less negative affect (P<0.01). The increase of positive affect in patients with high mood clarity resulted in decrease of negative affect (P<0.01). Conclusion: Through the findings of this survey we can suggest that positive affect and mood clarity are effective factors in individuals coping and may help patients bare the pain and reduce the related stress.

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Background and purpose: One of the major complications of diabetes is retinopathy which is a highly specific vascular complication of type I and II diabetes. This study aimed at investigating the factors influencing the diagnosis of retinopathy in patients with type II diabetes using Cox, parametric, exponential, weibull, Log normal, and Log-logistic models and comparing their functions Material and Methods: This prospective cohort study included 400 patients with type II diabetes without retinopathy who were registered at Yazd Diabetes Research Center in 2008. They were followed up for diagnosis of retinopathy until February 2013. Significant variables in the univariate model for investigating the effective factors on diagnosis of retinopathy were entered in Cox multivariate and parametric models. The criterion to compare the performance of models was Akaike information criterion. Data was then analyzed in R software and 0.05 was considered as the significance level. Results: The mean and median periods to diagnose retinopathy were 46 and 58 months. Among the patients 3% were diagnosed with retinopathy in less than one year and in 16% the diagnosis was made in less than two years Conclusion: Some variables including anemia, taking aspirin, duration of diabetes, and using insulin were amongst the main risk factors for diagnosis of retinopathy (P<0.05). According to Akaike information criterion we found that Cox model best fits for determining factors influencing the diagnosis of retinopathy.

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Abstract Background and purpose: Migraine is a kind of primary headache that involves neurovascular system. Some studies have shown that obesity could affect the severity, frequency and duration of migraine attacks. This study aimed at investigating the association between anthropometric measurements and severity, frequency and duration of headache in patients with migraine. Material and methods: This descriptive-correlational study was conducted in 100 migraine patients who referred to Isfahan Korshid and Imam Mosua Sader Clinics in 2013. Anthropometric measurements such as weight, height, Body Mass Index (BMI), Body Fat Mass (BFM) and Waist Circumference (WC) were measured for each patient. Data was analyzed by SPSS V.19 using t-test, X2 and regression tests. Results: The mean of patients’ BMI, BFS and WC in men and women was 24.46±4.45 and 24.72±4.58kg/m2, 17.66±8.12 and 20.12±7.31 kg, 88.62±11.68 and 80.81±9.03 cm, respectively. The mean of severity, frequency and duration of migraine attacks in men and women was 6.96±0.92 and 7.15±0.92, 11.21±8.68 and 11.26±10.16 per month, 18.19±16.16 and 21.75±18.63 hours, respectively. In total population, BMI, BFS and WC had significant effect on severity and frequency of migraine attacks (P≤ 0.01). While, no significant association was found between anthropometric measurements and duration of migraine attacks (P>0.05). Conclusion: In this study, the mean of BMI, BFM and WC, (the indices of central and general obesity) were in appropriate levels but these indices had significant role in severity and frequency of migraine attacks. However, no significant relationship was seen between mentioned measurements and duration of migraine attacks. Keywords: Migraine, body mass index, body fat mass, waist circumference, obesity

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Background and purpose: The effect of action observation on symmetry of weight distribution and stability indices in semi-dynamic stability in healthy older people is not identified yet. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of action observation on the symmetry of weight distribution in lower limbs and stability indices in semi-dynamic stability among healthy non-athlete older people.

Materials and methods: An experimental study was performed in 72 healthy male and female volunteers aged 55 to 75 years old. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups of functional film observation and symbols. Demographic, clinical and laboratory information of the groups (lower extremity muscle strength, the vision, symmetry weight distribution, and dynamic stability indices) were collected and measured. Data was analyzed in SPSS V.16.

Results: Percentage of weight distribution showed no significant difference between the two groups. The comparison of changes between the two groups showed that observation of the film significantly improved total index (P =0.004), antero-posterior index (P =0.015), and medio-latral index (P =0.023) in stability of level 5. There was a significant improvement between the females of both groups in total, antero-posterior, and medio-latral balance index in stability of level 5 (P =0.001). The percentage changes of balance indices showed no significant differences among males.

Conclusion: The results showed that the action observation could have a positive effect on improvement of balance in healthy older people (especially in unstable levels). Significant improvement of stability indices in women after watching the film, may suggest greater sensitivity of women's mirror neurons.

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Background and purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses play an important role in non-pharmacological prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of nurses in ICU about non-pharmacological prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Materials and methods: In a descriptive cross-sectional study, 120 ICU nurses were studied in teaching hospitals of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, 2015. Demographic information of nurses were recorded including age, sex, duration of being in ICU and their educational level. An authentic multiple-choice questionnaire was administered to assess the nurses' knowledge about the prevention of VAP.

Results: 120 nurses including 96 females and 24 males (mean age: 32.39±5.57, mean work experience: 5.94±4.5 years) were studied. The average number of beds in the studied ICUs was 9.53±1.97 beds (Median=9). Percentage of correct answers of nurses on the oral route for intubation, frequency of ventilator circuit changes, type of airway humidifier, frequency of humidifier changes, type of suction system, frequency of change in suction systems, drainage of subglottic secretions, kinetic vs. standard beds, and patients positioning were 81.7%, 53.3%, 42.5%, 6.7%, 62.5%, 38.3%, 30%, 46.7%, and 85.8%, respectively. The average score of the participants was 4.48±1.69 out of 9.

Conclusion: ICU nurses' knowledge about the type of humidifier, switching frequency of humidifier, switching frequency of suction system, subglottic secretion drainage, and the type of bed was found to be very low. These findings call for continuous training and assessment to promote the knowledge of nurses in ICUs for non-pharmaceutical prevention of VAP

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Background and purpose: Painful stimulation during laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation results in increased hemodynamic side effects. The aim of current study was to compare the effects of intranasal dexmedetomidine and remifentanil on reduction of hemodynamic changes following endotracheal intubation in children undergoing general anesthesia.
Materials and methods: A double-blind clinical trial was performed in 104 children aged 6-12 years old, undergoing general anesthesia in Isfahan Imam Hossein Hospital, Iran, 2017-2018. Patients were randomly assigned into three groups to receive intranasal (IN) remifentanil 4µg/kg, dexmedetomidine 2µg/kg (IN), or normal saline 1mL, 0.9% (IN) before the induction of anesthesia. Hemodynamic changes were recorded at one and five minutes following intubation. ANOVA and Chi-square were applied to analyze the data.
Results: Heart rate was higher in patients receiving normal saline and lower in patients
receiving dexmedetomidine (p=0.22). Mean arterial blood pressure (p=0.98) and arterial oxygenation (p=0.81) were not significantly different between the three groups. No significant side effects were observed in any group.
Conclusion: Administration of pre-intubation intranasal dexmedetomidine, results in heart rate stabilization following intubation.
 
(Clinical Trials Registry Number: IRCT20160301026866N7)
 
 

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Background and purpose: The relationship between obesity and the risk of breast cancer has been highlighted in some studies. This research aimed at studying the association between anthropometric indices and breast cancer based on enrolment phase (cross-sectional phase) data in Tabari cohort study.
Materials and methods: In this cohort, 51 cases of breast cancer were recorded which were considered as the case group. Also, 153 individuals (without any type of cancer) from Tabari cohort population were randomly selected as control group. Data analysis was performed applying independent t-test, chi-square, and multivariate logistic regression.
Results: The frequency of waist circumference ≥88 cm in case group was slightly lower than that of the control group (74.5% vs. 75.2%, P= 0.926). In case group, the frequency of waist to hip ratio (less than 0.85) was lower than that of the control group (70.6% vs. 80.4%, P= 0.144). The risk of breast cancer was found to be higher in rural population (OR: 8.28, P<0.001) and in women with higher education (OR: 0.06, P<0.001).
Conclusion: This study did not confirm the association between anthropometric indices and breast cancer.

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 Background and purpose: Cataract is a common disease and oxidative stress is recognized as a major cause in its development. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of Phyllanthus emblica L., Acorus calamus L., and Chelidonium majus L.  against cataracts according to the antioxidant properties of these plants in rats.
Materials and methods: In this study, 30 neonate rats (8-10 days) were divided into five groups; group 1 (control group) received normal saline on day 10. In other four groups, subcutaneous injections of sodium selenite (30 µmol/Kg) were done to induce cataract on day 10.  In group 2 no other intervention was done. Groups 3, 4 and 5 received IP injections of Phyllanthus emblica L., Acorus calamus L. and Chelidonium majus L. extracts (400 mg/kg), respectively on day 9-12. On day 17, morphological examination of rats’ lenses were performed and on day 30 the rats were anaesthetized and their lenses were removed. The contents of glutathione and malondialdehyde were measured in lens tissue. DPPH and flavonoid content tests were also done on plants’ extracts.
Results: P. emblica, C.majus, and A.calamus had the highest amount of antioxidant compounds, glutathione level in lens tissue, reduction in cataract grade, and the highest eye protection compared to the sodium selenite group, respectively. Also, the content of malondialdehyde were the lowest in groups that received P.emblica, A.calamus, and C.majus compared to the control group.
Conclusion: P. emblica has considerable protective effect on cataract in rats.

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 Background and purpose: Transgenic rice is a type of rice that its genetic sequence has been changed to improve its quantity and quality. Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) transgenic rice expresses Cry1Ab protein and is named Tarom Molaii. There are no studies on the effect of this type of transgenic rice on gastrointestinal health in Iran, so, this study investigated the effect of Tarom Molaii transgenic rice on common microbial flora of rat intestine.
Materials and methods: In this experimental study, 24 Sprague Dawley (SD) rats received transgenic and non-transgenic rice in their diets for 90 days and were compared with the control group that received standard rat diet. The number of Escherichia coli, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Enterococcus bacteria and the total number of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in fecal samples were examined in jejunum, ileum, and duodenum samples on days 60, 90, and after killing the rats.
Results: The study showed that except for the total number of anaerobic bacteria in the stool sample on day 90, there was no significant relationship between the study groups and the number of bacteria (P>0.05). There was an increase in the number of intestinal Lactobacillus in the transgenic rice-fed group and a decrease in the number of anaerobic bacteria in the transgenic rice-fed group compared with the control group and the non-transgenic rice-fed group.
Conclusion: Consumption of transgenic rice in current study had no considerable effect on the number of common bacteria in the intestinal normal flora. But, long-term studies are needed in other laboratory animals.